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Laurelton
by Roberta Kossoff Annette Henkin LandauWhen the 13 colonies declared their independence from the British, the area of Queens that eventually became Laurelton consisted of woodlands, ponds, and farms. This rural community gained some recognition when an attempt to build an upscale housing development for wealthy New Yorkers failed, but left in its place an elegant, new Long Island Railroad Station named "Laurelton." In 1929, the stock market crash and Depression led New Yorkers to the discovery that home ownership was a thrifty alternative to renting. As Laurelton was a beautiful and safe area, real estate boomed. The neighborhood experienced a momentous ethnic change in the 1970s, and within 20 years 80 percent of Laurelton's population was Afircan American and Caribbean middle-class professionals. Laurelton is in the eighth-wealthiest council district in New York City, and its reputation for beauty and community involvement continues.
Lava Beds National Monument
by Lee JuilleratThe region in far northeastern California encompassed by Lava Beds National Monument is often called the "Land of Burnt Out Fires." The name reflects a landscape created by fiery volcanic forces, including cataclysmic events that created more than 700 lava tube caves and an aboveground landscape shaped and fractured by lava flows and other geologic turmoil. Despite its tortured landscape, the region has also been a place of human habitation for thousands of years. Early natives traveled through the lava beds as part of their seasonal travels for food and shelter. The Modoc Indians' knowledge of that landscape, a natural lava fortress now known as Captain Jack's Stronghold, was used during the Modoc War of 1872 and 1873. Modocs, settlers, and others who followed--sheep ranchers, homesteaders, cave discoverers, tourists, spelunkers, and US Forest Service and National Park Service managers--have played prominent roles in creating the region's, and Lava Beds National Monument's, always evolving human history.
The Lawless Roads: Journey Without Maps And The Lawless Roads (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics)
by Graham GreeneThis eyewitness account of religious and political persecution in 1930s Mexico inspired the British novelist&’s &“masterpiece,&” The Power and the Glory (John Updike). In 1938, Graham Greene, a burgeoning convert to Roman Catholicism, was commissioned to expose the anticlerical purges in Mexico by President Plutarco Elías Calles. Churches had been destroyed, peasants held secret masses in their homes, religious icons were banned, and priests disappeared. Traveling under the growing clouds of fascism, Greene was anxious to see for himself the effect it had on the people—what he found was a combination of despair, resignation, and fierce resilience. Journeying through the rugged and remote terrain of Chiapas and Tabasco, Greene&’s emotional, gut response to the landscape, the sights and sounds, the fears, the oppressive heat, and the state of mind under &“the fiercest persecution of religion anywhere since the reign of Elizabeth&” makes for a vivid and candid account, and stands alone as a &“singularly beautiful travel book&” (New Statesman). Hailed by William Golding as &“the ultimate chronicler of twentieth-century man&’s consciousness and anxiety,&” Greene would draw on the experiences of The Lawless Roads for one of his greatest novels, The Power and the Glory.
Lawndale
by James OsborneLocated in the exact geographical center of Los Angeles County's South Bay district, Lawndale was originally barley fields, then chicken ranches and small farms, growing vegetables for sale in nearby Inglewood and Redondo Beach. Retaining some of its rural character even after World War II, Lawndale gradually transformed into suburbia along with nearby communities, fighting all the while to retain its own identity and staving off aggressive annexation bids by surrounding cities. Finally in 1959, Lawndale incorporated, ending civic contentiousness. Despite the bustle of the high-end Galleria at South Bay, as well as Lawndale's close proximity to some of the most tourism-friendly beach cities in California and its bisection by L.A.'s busiest freeway, the I-405, the city's neighborhoods on the outskirts of Los Angeles International Airport retain the quiet ambiance evinced by its bedroom-community name.
Lawrence
by Virgil W. DeanWith its skyline dominated by the campus of the University of Kansas, the history of Lawrence cannot be divorced from the history of the academy, its influence, and impact. The history of any town, however, is much more than the story of one institution or issue. Lawrence is also a river town, located in an agriculturally rich valley, and Massachusetts Street, its main commercial street, harkens back to its mid-19th century New England origins and influences. Lawrence is also a place of diversity and change, a community where space is contested and disparate opinions make for vital public discourse.
The Lawrence Durrell Travel Reader
by Lawrence DurrellA collection of travel essays from the bestselling author whose writing sparkles with &“prose as luminous as the Mediterranean air he loves&” (Time). Few men have traveled as wisely as Lawrence Durrell. Born in India, he lived in Corfu as a young man, enjoying salt air, cobalt water, and an unfettered bohemian lifestyle. Over the following decades, he rambled around the Mediterranean, making homes in Egypt, Cyprus, and Greece. Each time he moved, he asked himself why he felt compelled to travel. In this book, he gives his answer. Durrell knew that the wise traveler looks not for pleasure, education, or landmarks, but is hungry for a sense of place—the element of a landscape, city, or nation that makes its people who they are. In this anthology, passages from Durrell&’s classic Mediterranean writings are paired with observations on other lands. His writing is poetic, lush, and achingly clear, for this was a man who truly saw the world.
Lawrence Durrell's Notes on Travel Volume One: Blue Thirst, Sicilian Carousel, and Bitter Lemons of Cyprus
by Lawrence DurrellTravel writing &“as luminous as the Mediterranean air&” from the acclaimed author of the Alexandria Quartet, who is featured in PBS&’s The Durrells in Corfu (Time). Born in India, acclaimed British novelist and poet Lawrence Durrell lived in Corfu as a young man, enjoying salt air, cobalt water, and an unfettered bohemian lifestyle, along with his brother, Gerald, who would also go on to be a writer and a naturalist. Their real-life family is portrayed in the PBS Masterpiece production, The Durrells in Corfu. Over the following decades, he rambled around the Mediterranean, making homes in Egypt, Cyprus, and Greece, always bringing his poet&’s eye to document his experiences. Blue Thirst: In the first of a pair of lectures, given during a 1970s visit to California, Durrell recalls his family&’s time living on the Greek island of Corfu, expanding on his eloquent memoir, Prospero&’s Cell. When the Second World War came to the Mediterranean, Durrell was swept into diplomatic service, an adventure he vividly recounts in his powerful second lecture. &“[Durrell&’s] travel books arrive like long letters from a civilized and very funny friend.&” —Time Sicilian Carousel: For years, Durrell&’s friend Martine had begged him to visit her on the sun-kissed paradise of Sicily, but it took her sudden death to finally bring him to the island&’s shores. With Martine&’s letters in his pocket, Durrell treks from sight to sight, dizzy with history and culture, and finds haunting echoes of his past lives in Rhodes, Cyprus, and Corfu. &“Elegant . . . wonderful.&” —Time Bitter Lemons of Cyprus: Against the backdrop of the push for independence on Cyprus in the early 1950s, the poet, novelist, and former British government official buys a house, secures a job, and settles in, yearning for a return to the island lifestyle of his youth. Winner of the Duff Cooper Prize, this memoir is an elegant picture of island life in a changing world. &“Brilliant depth of language . . . gathering slowly from the lighter delightful pages to its lost and questioning end. Never for a moment does [Durrell] lose the poet&’s touch.&” —The New York Times
Lawrence Durrell's Notes on Travel Volume Two: Prospero's Cell, Reflections on a Marine Venus, and Spirit of Place
by Lawrence DurrellTravel memoirs “as luminous as the Mediterranean air” from the acclaimed author of the Alexandria Quartet, who is featured in The Durrells in Corfu (Time). Born in India, acclaimed British novelist and poet Lawrence Durrell lived in Corfu as a young man, enjoying salt air, cobalt water, and an unfettered bohemian lifestyle, along with his brother, Gerald, who would also go on to be a writer and a naturalist. Their real-life family is portrayed in the PBS Masterpiece production, The Durrells in Corfu. Over the following decades, he rambled around the Mediterranean, making homes in Egypt, Cyprus, and Greece, always bringing his poet’s eye to document his experiences. Prospero’s Cell: Along with his family, Lawrence Durrell spent four youthful years on Corfu, an island jewel with beauty to match its fascinating history. While his brother, Gerald, was collecting animals as a budding naturalist, Lawrence fished, drank, and lived with the natives in the years leading up to World War II, sheltered from the tumult that was engulfing Europe—until finally he could ignore the world no longer. Durrell left for Alexandria, to serve his country as a wartime diplomat, but never forgot the wonders of Corfu, captured so beautifully in this “brilliant” memoir (The Economist). “In its gem-like miniature quality, [Prospero’s Cell] is among the best books ever written.” —The New York Times Reflections on a Marine Venus: After four tortuous wartime years in Egypt, Durrell finds a post on the island of Rhodes, where the British are attempting to return Greece to the sleepy peace it enjoyed in the 1930s. From a dip in the frigid Aegean Sea, which jolts him awake for what feels like the first time in years, Durrell breathes in the joys of island life, meeting villagers, eating exotic food, and throwing back endless bottles of ouzo. “Sparkles with . . . intense energy . . . brilliance and fire.” —The Christian Science Monitor Spirit of Place: In these letters and essays, Durrell exhibits the power of poetic observation that continues to make his travel writing so vivid and fresh. He traveled not to sightsee but to live, and made homes in the Mediterranean, Egypt, France, Yugoslavia, and Argentina. Each time he landed, he rooted himself deep into the native soil, taking in not just the sights and sounds of his new land, but the essential character of the country, which he brings to life in these pages. “The letters depict the brio of Durrell’s existence with intoxicating vividness.” —The New York Times
Lawrence in the Gilded Age
by Louise Brady SandbergThe Gilded Age, c. 1870-1898, was a time of promise and expanding horizons for the people of Lawrence, known as "the Queen City on the Merrimack." Passenger trains, horse-drawn trolleys, and electric streetcars dominated transportation, one-third of the population worked in manufacturing, and thirteen newspapers brought the latest information to the city's burgeoning population of nearly sixty thousand people. Through unique images from the special collections of the Lawrence Public Library, rich commentary, and a virtual walking tour, Lawrence in the Gilded Age relives the last three decades of the nineteenth century in Lawrence, which had managed to avoid the labor strikes and political and social unrest that plagued the city in the early twentieth century.
Lawrence Park
by Marjorie D. McleanLawrence Park was planned, developed, and built by the General Electric Company in 1910, when the company decided to build their plant near Erie, Pennsylvania. However, Lawrence Park was not to be a company town, but rather a planned community in the "English garden" concept. The tree-lined streets, flowering boulevards, and delightful parks are a testimony to those visionaries. Around 1900, the elegant Grove House Hotel was built on the banks of beautiful Lake Erie, and later a lively amusement park flourished there. The Stone House, built in 1832 and rumored to be a station in the Underground Railroad, still stands at the crossroads. The early settlers of Lawrence Park laid the foundation for a caring community that today enthusiastically embraces school and community activities.
Lawrenceville
by James Wudarczyk Joann CantrellFrom its founding in 1814 by William Barclay Foster, Lawrenceville has been the center of historic events. During the Civil War, the riverside community became home to the Allegheny Arsenal, where 78 people perished in an explosion in 1862, making it the worst civilian disaster of the war. Lawrenceville evolved into a lively, walkable neighborhood that barely slept because of the high volume of shift workers at places such as Iron City Brewery, St. Francis Hospital, and the steel mills. Businesses, churches, all-night diners, and other gathering places were easily accessible to residents, and families became closely associated with the landmarks where they worked, worshipped, and socialized. Having celebrated its 200th birthday in 2014, Lawrenceville remains a bustling community with a vitality equal to that of the immigrant days, and it continues to be a place of camaraderie where individuals are dedicated to their neighborhood.
LA by Mouth: The Essential Guide To Eating In Los Angeles
by Mike PostalakisForget trawling your phone for ideas—all the best food in LA is right here There are over 8,000 restaurants in the greater Los Angeles area. From the old school glitz and glamour of Musso & Frank’s in the heart of Hollywood, to a Jonathan Gold- approved Vietnamese mom- and- pop cafe located in a strip mall in the Valley, LA can satisfy any palate. But how do you narrow it down to the best of the best? LA by Mouth is for the discerning traveler and restaurant goer, someone who has a compulsive need to hunt down the very best taco, the ultimate burger, the epitome of brunch, and the sandwich to end all sandwiches. Put your FOMO to rest— author Mike Postalakis has sampled it all and has written a restaurant guide with wit, authority, humor, and attitude that will appeal to visitors and Angelenos alike. Includes: • Hangover-tested brunches • Quirky happy hours • Farm-to-table dinner spots
Le avventure di Tamarita Rachel
by Andrea Gardiner Valeria IacobelliRecensioni del libro di Andrea Gardiner: "Quello che traspare è la determinazione di Andrea di fare la differenza". Life and Work Magazine Feb 2013. "Non è facile mettere giù questo libro... È il racconto affascinante e avvincente di una vera amante delle avventure". Jeff Lucas, autore, speaker e giornalista radiofonico. "É un libro stupefacente, che vorrei invitare chiunque abbia un cuore a leggere... Impossibile smettere di leggere una volta che si è cominciato". Woman Alive Bookclub. Recensioni del libro "Le avventure di Tamarita Rachel": "Andrea è un medico missionario in Ecuador. I bambini ameranno le avventure descritte nel suo libro, ma impareranno contemporaneamente com'è diversa la vita per i bambini nei Paesi più poveri del mondo. È un'introduzione ben realizzata che illustra i problemi di questi bambini per sensibilizzare sul tema delle adozioni a distanza". Jennifer Rees Larcombe, autrice e speaker.
Le Cinema Francais: An Illustrated Guide to the Best of French Films
by Anne Keenan HigginsLe Cinéma Français is an irresistible illustrated guide and primer to the best of French films, starting with the 1950s, through the spectrum of French New Wave, and on to modern-day confections.Starring the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, and Jeanne Moreau, and directed by iconoclasts such as Francois Truffaut, Eric Rohmer, and Jean-Luc Godard, French movies are as touching, beautiful, and romantic as they come in all of film. Le Cinéma Français captures their spirit in whimsical detail. Each movie is covered with a plot summary; back stories; and illustrations by author/artist Anne Keenan Higgins of highlight scenes, costumes, props, and characters that are as enchanting as the films themselves.This gorgeously gifty tribute to French cinema is not just for movie buffs or followers of international films, but for all who are enchanted by French culture.
Le Coq: A Journey to the Heart of French Rugby
by Peter BillsFrom French rugby's origins in Le Havre, (as an English export in the late nineteenth century) to the Catalan coast, acclaimed rugby writer Peter Bills travels the length and breadth of this vast country visiting not only the big cities but those regional heartlands of the game such as Toulouse, Bordeaux and Clermont as well as clubs in the Basque country, to reveal a country whose deep love of rugby has created a culture and playing style like no other. Featuring exclusive interviews with many of the greatest international players to have played club rugby in France, from Jonny Wilkinson to Dan Carter, as well as French legends of the sport, from Serge Blanco and Jean-Pierre Rives to Antoine Dupont, Le Coq: A History of French rugby brings to life the passion, colour, excitement, characters, anecdotes, locations and great moments of French rugby's near 150 years of existence, just as it prepares to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.Former French Grand Slam captain Jacques Fouroux talked of 'Rugby; the game, the life': this book will show you exactly what he meant.
Le guide ultime du camping: Liste de contrôle complète du matériel et guide des accessoires par John Johnson
by John JohnsonLe guide ultime du camping : Liste de contrôle complète du matériel et guide des accessoires par John Johnson Découvrez comment vous débuter, tout ce que vous devez savoir sur ce sport et comment camper comme un pro. Le guide ultime du camping : liste de contrôle complète du matériel et guide des accessoires Vous souhaitez vous lancer dans le camping ? Vous voulez apprendre à camper comme les pros ?¤ Si vous avez répondu oui à ces questions, ce livre est pour vous. Découvrez comment vous débuter, tout ce que vous devez savoir sur ce sport et comment camper comme un pro. L'utilisation de ces techniques et conseils de camping vous aidera à vous lancer et à camper mieux que jamais ! Découvrez les secrets que les professionnels utilisent pour s’adapter aux terrains les plus difficiles ! Avec des décennies de stratégies testées, ce livre électronique vous montrera la façon la plus rapide et la plus efficace d'apprendre ce sport ! Sont inclus : - Pour commencer. - Liste de contrôle. - Quel matériel utiliser. - Comment camper. - Préparation. + ET BIEN PLUS ENCORE ! Si vous voulez être plus fort et plus efficace au camping, alors ce guide est pour vous. --> Faites défiler jusqu'en haut de la page et cliquez sur ajouter au panier pour acheter instantanément
Lead with Hospitality: Be Human. Emotionally Connect. Serve Selflessly.
by Taylor ScottAcross all industries and levels of organizations, one key leadership trait inspires and motivates more than any other: hospitality. We have all encountered inspirational leaders who've helped us, taught us, encouraged us, pushed us to get outside our comfort zones, or motivated us to become the best version of ourselves. What is it about their leadership styles that inspires us to do more for our team and our personal and professional growth? Turns out, we admire these leaders for the same reasons we love our favorite hotels, resorts, restaurants, or bars: How they make us feel is essential. Members of today's workforce—especially millennials and Gen Z—are looking for inspiring environments and work that truly fulfills them. Before anyone is compelled to do anything they first must feel. Speaker, consultant, and hospitality industry veteran Taylor Scott knows that the most effective leaders approach their roles with heart, emotionally connecting with their team members before attempting to manage them. Scott draws from his two decades in leadership roles at respected hotels, resorts, and restaurants. He distills the principles of gracious hospitality, translating them into actionable leadership lessons which apply in any industry, such as: How making people feel welcome fosters loyalty and keeps workers engaged with an organization's purpose How serving people with empathy and compassion sparks workers' highest productivity How making people feel comfortable encourages exploration, curiosity, and discovery while inviting everyone to lean into their creativity How making people feel significant drives them to deliver their best work He also shares specific, practical steps you can take to put these principles into action. Scott shows how to connect, serve, engage, coach, and inspire your peers, teams, and even your own leaders. Lead with Hospitality is a call to action to connect with people on a human level which ultimately inspires teams, organizations, and companies to go to the next level.
Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition
by Dennis N.T. Perkins Margaret P. Holtman Paul R. Kessler Catherine McCarthyDrawing on the amazing story of Shackleton and his polar exploration team&’s survival against all odds, author Dennis N. T. Perkins demonstrates the importance of a strong leader in times of adversity, uncertainty, and change.Part adventure tale and part leadership guide, Leading at the Edge uncovers what the legendary Antarctic adventure of Sir Ernest Shackleton, his ship Endurance, and his team of twenty-seven polar explorers can teach us about bringing order to chaos through true leadership.Among other skills, you&’ll learn how to:instill optimism while staying grounded in reality,step up to risks worth taking,consistently reinforce your team message,set a personal example,find things to celebrate,laugh small things off,and--even in the face of extreme temperatures, hazardous ice, scarce food, and complete isolation--never give up.This second edition of Leading at the Edge features additional lessons, new case studies of the strategies in action, tools to uncover and resolve conflicts, and expanded resources.An updated epilogue compares the leadership styles of the famous polar explorers Shackleton, Amundsen, and Scott, which transcend the one-hundred-plus years since their historic race to the South Pole to help today&’s leaders learn valuable lessons about the meaning of true success.
Leading the Blind: A Century of Guide Book Travel
by Alan SillitoeA journey into nineteenth-century travel guides to the UK, Europe, and Soviet Union as researched and written by one of England&’s most distinguished authors. In this quirky and illuminating social history, bestselling British author Alan Sillitoe culls fascinating details from Victorian-era guidebooks and travelogues in order to recount the pleasures, dangers, traps, and delights of travel in the century leading up to World War I. For instance, in Switzerland, an English officer once fell into a bears&’ den and was &“torn in pieces.&” In Paris, the outdoor seating at cafés was in &“unpleasant proximity to the gutters.&” In Germany and the Rhine, the denominations marked on coins did not necessarily indicate their value. And in Northern Italy, a traveler could look forward to a paradise of citron and myrtle, palms and cyclamen. For the armchair traveler journeying into a bygone era, Sillitoe begins with the essential practicalities relevant to any tourist: the price of passports and visas, how best to clear customs, and how many bags to pack. He includes timeless advice, such as: Board a boat on an empty stomach if you are prone to seasickness, and always break in your boots before embarking on a trip. Anachronistic recommendations abound as well: It is best to leave your servant at home, carry your milk with you when traveling to small Italian villages, and not pay children and &“donkey women&” for flowers. From convalescent hotels in the South of France to malaria-ridden marshes between Rome and Naples, and from the chaos of Sicily and southern Italy to the dazzling bullfights and rampant thieves of sunny Spain, Sillitoe guides readers through the minutiae of the Mediterranean with wit and historical insight. Then he takes an anecdote-filled road east into Greece, Egypt, the Holy Lands, Turkey, and Russia. Of course, the Grand Tour would not be complete without a thorough account of his home turf of England, with her idiosyncratic hamlets, smoke-filled skies, and working-class townsfolk in high-buckled shoes. At once a fascinating history of travel books from 1815 to 1914 and an entertaining ode to wanderlust, Leading the Blind brings to life the absurd and profound wonders of Victorian globetrotting. With simple but captivating prose, Sillitoe also shows how the way we view foreign lands can reveal a lot about what is happening at home.
Lean Out: A Meditation on the Madness of Modern Life
by Tara Henley"Beautifully written, brimming with insight and reassurance--I'm so grateful for this book." -Olivia Sudjic, author of ExposureA deeply personal and informed reflection on the modern world--and why so many feel disillusioned by it.In 2016, journalist Tara Henley was at the top of her game working in Canadian media. She had traveled the world, from Soweto to Bangkok and Borneo to Brooklyn, interviewing authors and community leaders, politicians and Hollywood celebrities. But when she started getting chest pains at her desk in the newsroom, none of that seemed to matter.The health crisis--not cardiac, it turned out, but anxiety--forced her to step off the media treadmill and examine her life and the stressful twenty-first century world around her. Henley was not alone; North America was facing an epidemic of lifestyle-related health problems. And yet, the culture was continually celebrating the elite few who thrived in the always-on work world, those who perpetually leaned in. Henley realized that if we wanted innovative solutions to the wave of burnout and stress-related illness, it was time to talk to those who had leaned out. Part memoir, part travelogue, and part investigation, Lean Out tracks Henley's journey from the heart of the connected city to the fringe communities that surround it. From early retirement enthusiasts in urban British Columbia to moneyless men in rural Ireland, Henley uncovers a parallel track in which everyday citizens are quietly dropping out of the mainstream and reclaiming their lives from overwork. Underlying these disparate movements is a rejection of consumerism, a growing appetite for social contribution, and a quest for meaningful connection in this era of extreme isolation and loneliness. As she connects the dots between anxiety and overwork, Henley confronts the biggest issues of our time.
Learning the Arts of Linguistic Survival
by Alison PhippsIn this ground-breaking contribution to the study of tourism and languages, Alison Phipps examines what happens when tourists learn to speak other languages. From ordering a coffee to following directions she argues for a new perception of the relationship between tourism and languages from one based on the acquisition of basic, functional skills to one which sustains and even strengthens intercultural dialogue. The twelve chapters comprising this book tell stories of the experience of learning and speaking tourist languages. Drawing on a range of disciplines Alison Phipps takes the reader on a journey through risk, way finding, mistakes, laughter, conversations and the imagination. She provides rich descriptions of the world of language learning which has remained invisible to mainstream studies of language education, existing as it does on the margins of educational life. She shows how tourism is shaped by the learning experiences of everyday life. Languages, she argues passionately, fundamentally change the nature of perception, dwelling and relationships to other people and the world. This book will be essential reading for all those interested in tourism studies and in modern languages education. It is a timely study, coming at time of crisis in languages, as English exerts its power as a world language and as a dominant language of tourism. Learning the Arts of Linguistic Survival: Languaging, Tourism, Life will also be of interest to anthropologists, linguists, geographers, sociologists and those studying education.
Learning to Bow
by Bruce FeilerLearning to Bow has been heralded as one of the funniest, liveliest, and most insightful books ever written about the clash of cultures between America and Japan. With warmth and candor, Bruce Feiler recounts the year he spent as a teacher in a small rural town. Beginning with a ritual outdoor bath and culminating in an all-night trek to the top of Mt. Fuji, Feiler teaches his students about American culture, while they teach him everything from how to properly address an envelope to how to date a Japanese girl.
Learning to Bow
by Bruce FeilerLearning to Bow has been heralded as one of the funniest, liveliest, and most insightful books ever written about the clash of cultures between America and Japan. With warmth and candor, Bruce Feiler recounts the year he spent as a teacher in a small rural town. Beginning with a ritual outdoor bath and culminating in an all-night trek to the top of Mt. Fuji, Feiler teaches his students about American culture, while they teach him everything from how to properly address an envelope to how to date a Japanese girl.
Learning to Float: The Journey of a Woman, a Dog, and Just Enough Men
by Lili WrightLili Wright is a thirty-something woman on the emotional lam. Faced with a choice between two men--Stuart, the steady veterinarian, and Peter, the dreamy writer--she climbs into her car and leaves them both behind.With only a borrowed dog named Brando for company and a map of twelve states in her pocket, Lili sets out on a road trip, hoping that by setting herself in motion she will find a way to settle down. Charting a course from Cadillac Mountain in Maine to the faded glory of Key West, Florida, she camps out on beaches and crashes on couches, in sketchy motels and even in a cop's trailer. She travels not only south, but also back in time, trying to figure out why previous relationships with a Nantucket waiter, a French tennis clown, a Utah ski bum, and others flared and fizzled.Along the way, Lili meets a string of unlikely gurus, including a well-worn shrimper, a vegan astrologer, and even a woman who marries herself. These and other unassuming strangers offer offbeat wisdom and guidance as Lili struggles to understand the nature of love, the voodoo of sex, and how couples can settle down without settling for. Between adventures, Lili tackles tough questions: Why does everything love touches turn risky? Does staying with the same person mean staying the same? Where does love come from, and where does it go? By journey’s end, this restless traveler begins to see how she can share her life with just one other person, and how love, like water, can make a body float.Lili Wright’s engaging memoir from the road updates the tradition of the picaresque traveler’s tale. With unflinching honesty and refreshing wit, she captures the torn emotions, comic misfires, and inevitable trade-offs felt by young people everywhere.
Learning to Play With a Lion's Testicles
by Melissa HaynesThe cheeky title of Melissa Haynes's story of adventure in Africa, Learning to Play with a Lion's Testicles, earned the book some big publicity on NBC-TV/Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on September 4,2013 where it topped the show's list of "Titles Not to Read" for September 2013. Melissa's book was also a big smash on the March 11, 2014 Ellen Show, where Ellen and guest Ricky Gervais highlighted the book throughout the entire hour. Playing with a lion's testicles: An African saying that means to take foolhardy chances.Melissa, an exhausted executive from the city seeks meaning and purpose from her work, and volunteers for a Big Five conservation project in South Africa. Her boss, an over-zealous ranger, nicknamed the Drill Sergeant, has no patience for city folk, especially if they're women, and tries to send her packing on day one. But Melissa stands her ground with grit and determination, however shaky it may be.Conflict soon sets the pace with a cast filled with predatory cats, violent elephants, and an on-going battle of wits with the Drill Sergeant. Even Mother Nature pounds the reserve with the worst storm in a century. But the most enduring and profound conflict is the internal battle going on within Melissa, as she tries to come to terms with the guilt surrounding her mother's death. When death grips the game reserve, it is the very animals Melissa has come to save that end up saving her.For the reader who has ever dreamed of going to Africa or knows the pain of loss and guilt, LEARNING TO PLAY WITH A LION'S TESTICLES will fill your soul.