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Something to Declare: Essays on France and French Culture (Vintage International)
by Julian BarnesAnyone who loves France (or just feels strongly about it), or has succumbed to the spell of Julian Barnes's previous books, will be enraptured by this collection of essays on the country and its culture. Barnes's appreciation extends from France's vanishing peasantry to its hyper-literate pop singers, from the gleeful iconoclasm of nouvelle vague cinema to the orgy of drugs and suffering that is the Tour de France. Above all, Barnes is an unparalleled connoisseur of French writing and writers. Here are the prolific and priapic Simenon, Baudelaire, Sand and Sartre, and several dazzling excursions on the prickly genius of Flaubert. Lively yet discriminating in its enthusiasm, seemingly infinite in its range of reference, and written in prose as stylish as haute couture, Something to Declare is an unadulterated joy.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Something to Declare: Good Lesbian Travel Writing
by Gillian KendallEditor Gillian Kendall has brought together in Something to Declare a collection of impressionistic, literary travel essays that explore the sense of place and the pull of wanderlust, and reveal what happens when a traveler follows her heart. On these pages, established and emerging lesbian travel writers present accounts ranging from the poetic and internal to the exhilarating and life-altering. Rather than reporting on places to stay, local fare, or politics, these women share personal stories of exploration and adventure. Lucy Jane Bledsoe and her partner camp out and negotiate their way through the Tierra del Fuego in "Fruits at the Border. " Leslea Newman's "Bashert" tells the retrospective journey of a college graduate undergoing a simultaneous awakening of her sexuality and artistic talent while working on a kibbutz in Israel. Lori Soderlind's "Hot Springs, Montana" describes her return--with the help of a native woman--to the place in Montana where her family once made their home. Whether set in Italian changing rooms, a Cadillac hearse, an ashram, a medieval labyrinth, a wheelchair, or a kayak, and whether amid Japanese typhoons, Caribbean rain, or rare Irish sunshine, Something to Declare offers stories of reflection, challenge, and growth.
Somewhere Else: A Picture Book
by Gus GordonGeorge has absolutely no interest in exploring the world. None at all. He's far too busy enjoying his home life and baking delicious pastries. Or so he tells all his friends when they invite him along on their wonderful adventures.But when George's friend Pascal digs a little deeper, the real reason George refuses to travel away from home is finally revealed . . . From the children's book author of the acclaimed Herman and Rosie comes Gus Gordon's Somewhere Else.
Son of Serge Bastarde: Mayhem in the Antiques Markets of Rural France
by John DummerJohn's life as an antiques dealer in France is decidedly less colourful as his unscrupulous partner in crime, Serge Bastarde, marries and moves to Martinique. But he returns, his personal life in tatters. What follows is a madcap adventure which sees John striking deals with the Romanian 'mafia¡' while Serge rides an emotional roller coaster.
Son of Serge Bastarde: Mayhem in the Antiques Markets of Rural France
by John DummerJohn's life as an antiques dealer in France is decidedly less colourful as his unscrupulous partner in crime, Serge Bastarde, marries and moves to Martinique. But he returns, his personal life in tatters. What follows is a madcap adventure which sees John striking deals with the Romanian 'mafia¡' while Serge rides an emotional roller coaster.
Song of the Road
by Cyrus StearnsIn Song of the Road, Tsarchen Losal Gyatso (1502-66), a tantric master of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, weaves ecstatic poetry, song, and accounts of visionary experiences into a record of pilgrimage to central Tibet. Translated for the first time here, Tsarchen's work, a favorite of the Fifth Dalai Lama, brims with striking descriptions of encounters with the divine as well as lyrical portraits of Tibetan landscape. The literary flights of Song of the Road are anchored by Tsarchen's candid observations on the social and political climate of his day, including a rare example in Tibetan literature of open critique of religious power. Like the Japanese master Basho's famous Narrow Road to the Interior, written 150 years later, Tsarchen's travelogue contains a mixture of luminous prose and verse, rich with allusions. Traveling on horseback with a band of companions, Tsarchen visited some of the most renowned holy sites of the Tsang region, incluing Jonang, Tropu, Ngor, Shalu, and Gyantse. In his introduction and copious notes, Cyrus Stearns unearths the layers of meaning concealed in the text, excavating the history, legends, and lore associated with people and places encountered on the pilgrimage, revealing the spiritual as well as geographical topography of Tsarchen's journey.
The Songlines (Picador Bks.)
by Bruce ChatwinInternational Bestseller: The famed travel writer and author of In Patagonia traverses Australia, exploring Aboriginal culture and song—and humanity&’s origins. Long ago, the creators wandered Australia and sang the landscape into being, naming every rock, tree, and watering hole in the great desert. Those songs were passed down to the Aboriginals, and for centuries they have served not only as a shared heritage but as a living map. Sing the right song, and it can guide you across the desert. Lose the words, and you will die. Into this landscape steps Bruce Chatwin, the greatest travel writer of his generation, who comes to Australia to learn these songs. A born wanderer, whose lust for adventure has carried him to the farthest reaches of the globe, Chatwin is entranced by the cultural heritage of the Aboriginals. As he struggles to find the deepest meaning of these ancient, living songs, he is forced to embark on a much more difficult journey—through his own history—to reckon with the nature of language itself. Part travelogue, part memoir, part novel, The Songlines is one of Bruce Chatwin&’s final—and most ambitious—works. From the author of the bestselling In Patagonia and On the Black Hill, a sweeping exploration of a landscape, a people, and one man&’s history, it is the sort of book that changes the reader forever. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Bruce Chatwin including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s estate.
Songlines and Fault Lines: Epic Walks of the Red Centre
by Glenn MorrisonVisitors to the Red Centre come looking for the real Australia, but find a place both beautiful and disturbing. There is wilderness, desire and artworks depicting an Aboriginal philosophy of home. But there is also the confusing countenance of the Australian frontier, a meeting place between black and white, ancient and modern. Songlines and Fault Lines explores the Red Centre on foot, through six remarkable stories that have shaped our nation. It follows Aboriginal Dreamtime ancestors along a songline and trudges with John McDouall Stuart as he crosses the continent, and walks the Finke River in the footsteps of anthropologist TGH Strehlow. It keeps pace with conservationist Arthur Groom as he reimagines the country's heart as tourist playground, ponders a philosophy of walking with British travel writer Bruce Chatwin, and then strolls the grog-troubled streets of Alice Springs with Eleanor Hogan.Retracing time-worn pathways and stories of Australia's centre, Glenn Morrison finds fresh answers to age-old queries.
Songs of the Baka and Other Discoveries: Travels after Sixty-Five
by Dennis James Barbara GrossmanAbandoning the comfort and security of a typical retirement, a couple travels and treks through the most isolated parts of the world.After their retirement, Dennis James and Barbara Grossman decide to travel where tour buses won’t and where the US government says "don’t,” incorporating trekking into their travels as a way to see untouched areas of the world considered inhospitable by many.Armed with a passport, an interest in non-Western and indigenous cultures, a spirit for adventure, and a sense of humor, they hike through the forests in the highlands of Papua New Guinea; visit the traditional hunter-gatherer Baka Pygmy community in Cameroon; stay with the cliff-dwelling Dogon people in Mali; explore Roman ruins in Algeria; meet a nervous mother rhino in Nepal; and witness bull-jumping, a coming-of-age ritual for young Hamer men in Ethiopia.In defiance of typical tourist travel, ignoring State Department warnings, and with a curiosity and hardiness that belies their ages, Dennis and Barbara choose to travel the roads not taken so frequently-to places like Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, and Gaza-seeking the truth behind the headlines and exploring the deeper questions about the local cultures they encounter. Why do these people cling to the art, sexual mores, economic and political hierarchies, and spiritualities that govern their lives? And how and why do they remain resistant to the pressures of globalization?A journey into the other sides of the world, Songs of the Baka and Other Discoveries puts aside preconceptions and combines the wisdom of age with the stamina of youth.
La sonrisa del jaguar (Linea Abierta Alfagu Ser.)
by Salman RushdieHistoria del viaje que el autor, Salman Rushdie, realizó en 1986 a un país en revolución, Nicaragua. Rushdie viajó a Nicaragua en 1986, en plena revolución sandinista, sin ideas preconcebidas de lo que se iba a encontrar. Lo que descubrió le impresionó sobremanera: una cultura de héroes convertidos en objetos inanimados, y de políticos y guerrilleros que eran poetas; una tierra difícil, llena de hermosas contradicciones. Con su mirada, sobre la que siempre pesa su especial sensibilidad, Rushdie nos descubre una tierra en la que resuena continuamente el estruendo del choque entre historia y moral, entre el gobierno y los individuos. Un preciso y obsesivo retrato de la gente, la política, la tierra y la literatura de un país sumergido en la revolución.
Sons of Italy in Massachusetts, The (Images of America)
by Anthony M. Sammarco Order of the Sons of Italy in MassachusettsThe Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Order Sons of Italy in America was chartered in 1914 and is one of the oldest lodges in the United States. The lodge recently celebrated its centennial with a long list of events that extolled the preservation and promotion of Italian heritage and culture that has endured since its inception. Founded by Italian immigrants and continued by their descendants, the organization has seen local lodges and junior lodges spring up across the commonwealth with the mission to foster fraternal, social, and charitable work. The Sons of Italy encourages all eligible persons to join and assist in promoting national education, charitable fundraising, securing adequate laws for the benefit of its members, enriching Italian culture and heritage, and combating discrimination while protecting and upholding the positive image of people of Italian birth or descent.
The Sordid Secrets of Las Vegas
by Quentin Parker Paula MunierWhether this is your first or fiftieth visit, you'd be surprised at how much of the city's mystique you can miss while you're pulling slots until dawn. From getting comped at a casino every time to finding the best stripper to teach you how to pole dance, you'll learn all of the hidden magic that permeates this incredible city in this tell-all handbook. You'll also get an insider's take on:How to get invited to the Fetish and Fantasy BallWhy you shouldn't drink the water in VegasWhere to have a $5,000 lunch Where to find the world's biggest topless poolWho's been blacklisted by the Gaming Control BoardOrganized according to the seven deadly sins, the hidden gems in this book are your key to uncovering the dirty secrets of Sin City!
The Sorrow of Angels
by Jón Kalman StefánssonIt is three weeks since the boy came to town, carrying a book of poetry to return to the old sea captain - the poetry that did for his friend Bárður. Three weeks, but already Bárður's ghost has faded. Snow falls so heavily that it binds heaven and earth together. As the villagers gather in the inn to drink schnapps and coffee while the boy reads to them from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Jens the postman stumbles in half dead, having almost frozen to his horse. On his next journey to the wide open fjords he is accompanied by the boy, and both must risk their lives for each other, and for an unusual item of mail. The Sorrow of Angels is a timeless literary masterpiece; in extraordinarily powerful language it brings the struggle between man and nature tangibly to life. It is the second novel in Stefánsson's epic and elemental trilogy, though all can be read independently.
The Sorrow of Angels
by Jón Kalman StefánssonIt is three weeks since the boy came to town, carrying a book of poetry to return to the old sea captain - the poetry that did for his friend Bárður. Three weeks, but already Bárður's ghost has faded. Snow falls so heavily that it binds heaven and earth together. As the villagers gather in the inn to drink schnapps and coffee while the boy reads to them from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Jens the postman stumbles in half dead, having almost frozen to his horse. On his next journey to the wide open fjords he is accompanied by the boy, and both must risk their lives for each other, and for an unusual item of mail. The Sorrow of Angels is a timeless literary masterpiece; in extraordinarily powerful language it brings the struggle between man and nature tangibly to life. It is the second novel in Stefánsson's epic and elemental trilogy, though all can be read independently.
Sorry, I'm British!: An Insider's Romp Through Britain from A to Z
by Ben Crystal Adam Russ Ed MclachlanThey're just across the pond but they're a strange bunch. Explore the oddities of the British psyche with this witty illustrated book. A perfect companion to British behavior, get to grips with everything from small-talk to superiority, from "the stiff upper lip" to hooliganism, from cricket to condiments, and curry to class. This hilarious A-Z guide will take you through the realm of all that's British - its culture, its institutions, its humor, and its people. Ben Crystal has worked in tv, film and theatre. He is author of several books on Shakespeare for Penguin. Adam Russ is an actor and writer who lives in London. Ed McLachlan's is an acclaimed British cartoonist.
SOS Titanic
by Eve BuntingBarry O’Neill is journeying to New York on the Titanic’s fateful maiden voyage. He’s homesick and worried about the Flynn boys traveling in steerage who have threatened to throw him overboard. Little does Barry know that a struggle with the Flynns is the least of the dangers that await him. This suspenseful young adult adventure story is based on the true and terrible events that occured as the Titanic sank.
Sotterley Plantation
by Jeanne K. PirtleSotterley Plantation, a National Historic Landmark on the Patuxent River in St. Mary's County, is one of the oldest museums of its kind in the United States. Sotterley is the only Tidewater plantation in Maryland open to the public, with original and restored buildings on its nearly 100 beautiful acres. Sotterley's first owner purchased the property in 1699, and it was to become one of the largest tobacco plantations in the Chesapeake Tidewater region. The plantation's location on the Patuxent River made it desirable for shipping and trade but also made it vulnerable during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Sotterley Plantation declined with the end of the Civil War and slavery but was revived in the early 20th century. Life and culture at Sotterley Plantation was greatly shaped by both owners and workers. Family-owned for its entire significant history, Sotterley Plantation was opened to the public in 1961. Today, Sotterley Plantation is a destination for visitors looking to be reminded of a bygone era.
The Soul of Pittsburgh: Essays on Life, Community and History (The History Press)
by Ed Simon"Europe stretches to the Alleghenies, America lies beyond." - Ralph Waldo Emerson "They are my people and this is my town and it does my heart good just to be here." - Art Rooney Sr. What does it mean to be from Pittsburgh? Author Ed Simon explores the nature of the Yinzer and how the Steel City shapes anyone who is fortunate to call it home.
The Soul of the Journey: The Mendelssohns in Scotland and Italy
by Diana AmbacheBrother and sister Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn enjoyed a rare bond: they were intimate companions and theirs was one of the most significant musical relationships of the 19th century. They shared and commented on each other’s compositions, each highly appreciative of the other but also offering frank, critical advice. Their travels produced some great music – Felix’s best loved works, the Hebrides Overture and the Scottish Symphony, were inspired by his 1829 visit to Scotland, whilst Fanny’s innovative piano cycle Das Jahr was a musical response to the tour of Italy she made in 1839–40. Combining letters and sketches with an accompanying narrative describing their journeys, this is a wonderful celebration of the two Mendelssohns and a portrait of Scotland and Italy of the time as seen through the eyes of two of the Romantic movement’s most acclaimed composers.
Soul Rider: Facing Fear and Finding Redemption on a Harley
by Carolyn FoxThis is the story of a woman who went on an incredible journey. Carolyn Fox was a single mother and lawyer haunted with grief and secrets, and facing her fiftieth birthday. So she decided to change her life by facing her fears: she bought a Harley, packed it with a sleeping bag and tent, and set out to ride through all fifty states-alone! Soul Rider is her gripping travel/journey memoir, written by a successful woman who realized she would have to make significant changes in the way she lived and thought, if she ever had a chance to find peace and wholeness. Soul Rider will inspire readers to:Believe they can improve the quality of their lives by stepping outside their comfort zonesFind the courage to ask for forgiveness - first by forgiving others, and then by forgiving themselvesRecognize that loneliness can be overcome, simply by being the first to say HelloLearn that it’s okay to admit failures, fears, and guilt. Stuff happens to everyone. Confront those things and discover how quickly personal empowerment flows.Along the way, Carolyn traveled alone but met colorful characters, received positive media attention, discovered who she was, and put more than 14,000 miles on her bike. She kept a journal of her adventures, and the result is Soul Rider.
Sound Bites: Eating on Tour with Franz Ferdinand
by Alex KapranosIn September 2005, Alex Kapranos began writing about what he ate while touring the world with the rock band Franz Ferdinand. The writing is as much about where he eats and the people he eats with as the unusual flavours he tastes on the road. Whether it’s munching donuts with cops in Brooklyn, swallowing bull’s balls with the band in Buenos Aires or queuing for a saveloy in South Shields, these are surprising and vivid snapshots of life on the road. Funny, poignant, sickening or sexual depending on the situation, the material, both new and previously published in the Guardian, is fascinating and entertaining.
The Sound of One Hand Killing
by Teresa Solana Peter BushThe director of an exclusive New Age meditation centre in a fancy Barcelona neighborhood is murdered, a case for twin detectives Borja and Eduard. The murder of a CIA agent simultaneously drags them into an international conspiracy that transports them to China and back. This hilarious mystery novel is a remorseless satire of those practicing pseudo-science and pseudo-spirituality.
The Sound of Seattle: 101 Songs that Shaped a City
by EVA WALKER Jacob UittiThis rockin' paperback explores the musical evolution of Seattle through the lens of 101 songs spanning 80 years, examining the most prominent and important music and musicians to come out of our corner of the country, with a foreword by Pearl Jam legend Mike McCready.KEXP DJ and musician Eva Walker and music writer Jake Uitti take readers on a musical journey, exploring the songs and artists instrumental to developing the "Seattle sound." The authors have curated the ultimate playlist for the Emerald City. It all begins in 1942 when Washington-born Bing Crosby records what will become the world's bestselling single of all time, "White Christmas." From there, readers will delight in a sensory trip through jazz, rock, punk, riot grrrl, pop, rap, grunge, indie, emo, and more, deepening their knowledge and love of the songs that shaped Seattle, and in the process, each of us.Both a love letter and love song to the city, The Sound of Seattle is a visual guide organized by decade, with seminal songs profiled and paired with inventive design reminiscent of a favorite zine or concert poster. Includes interviews with Seattle legends like Heart's Nancy Wilson, as well as sidebars showcasing musical landmarks throughout the city. How has the Emerald City&’s musical output changed and evolved? What is the connective tissue between Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, and Kenny G? Between Melvins, Sleater-Kinney, and Foo Fighters? Between Sir Mix-a-Lot, Macklemore, and Travis Thompson? We're gonna find out!
Soundings: Journeys in the Company of Whales
by Doreen Cunningham'A THRILLING, PASSIONATE AND TENDERHEARTED ADVENTURE' HELEN JUKES, AUTHOR OF A HONEYBEE HEART HAS FIVE OPENINGS'WHAT A VOICE! WHAT A BOOK!' CHARLES FOSTER, AUTHOR OF BEING A HUMAN'BEAUTIFUL AND BRAVE, AND STARTLING IN ITS RAW HONESTY' NEIL ANSELL, AUTHOR OF DEEP COUNTRYFrom the lagoons of Mexico to Arctic glaciers, grey whale mothers are swimming with their calves, past predatory orcas, through a warming sea. For ten thousand miles, they endure one of the longest mammalian migrations on the planet. Following them, by bus, train and ferry, are Doreen Cunningham and her young son Max, in pursuit of a wild hope: that their family of two can make it by themselves.Doreen first visited Utqiagvik, the northernmost town in Alaska, as a young journalist reporting on climate change among indigenous whaling communities. There, she joined the spring whale hunt under the neverending Arctic light, watching for bowhead whales and polar bears, drawn deeply to an Iñupiaq family and their culture amid the disappearing ice.Years later, plunged into sudden poverty and isolation after becoming a single parent, Doreen embarks on an extraordinary journey: following the grey whale migration all the way north to the Iñupiaq family that took her in, where grey and bowhead whales meet at the melting apex of our planet.Soundings is the story of a woman reclaiming her life, mile by mile; a child growing to love an ocean that is profoundly endangered; and a mother learning from another species how to parent in a time of unprecedented change. Intrepid, brave and breathtaking, her travels will take you to the ends of the earth, alongside the whales that call it home.'STUNNING: FRESH, BRAVE AND UNIQUE' DAMIAN LE BAS, AUTHOR OF THE STOPPING PLACES'A BOOK TO BE DEVOURED' RAMITA NAVAI, AUTHOR OF CITY OF LIES'COMPLETELY UNIQUE AND UNFORGETTABLE' ERICA WAGNER'INTIMATE AND FASCINATING' MARK BOYLE, AUTHOR OF THE WAY HOME'BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND GRIPPING' DANIEL LAVELLE, AUTHOR OF DOWN AND OUT'FASCINATING: AN INTIMATE JOURNEY THROUGH A WORLD ALREADY ALTERED BY CLIMATE CHANGE' SJON, AUTHOR OF THE WHISPERING MUSE
Soundings: Journeys in the Company of Whales
by Doreen Cunningham'BEAUTIFUL . . . JUSTIFIES ITS PLACE ALONGSIDE NATURE WRITING CLASSICS SUCH AS H IS FOR HAWK' NEW STATESMAN BEST BOOKS OF 2022'SOUNDINGS GOT UNDER MY SKIN. I FINISHED IT IN TEARS' AMY LIPTROT'STRIKING, BRAVE AND OFTEN LYRICAL' GUARDIAN'WHAT A VOICE! WHAT A BOOK!' CHARLES FOSTER, AUTHOR OF BEING A HUMANFrom the lagoons of Mexico to Arctic glaciers, grey whale mothers are swimming with their calves, past predatory orcas, through a warming sea. For ten thousand miles, they endure one of the longest mammalian migrations on the planet. Following them, by bus, train and ferry, are Doreen Cunningham and her young son Max, in pursuit of a wild hope: that their family of two can make it by themselves.Doreen first visited Utqiagvik, the northernmost town in Alaska, as a young journalist reporting on climate change among indigenous whaling communities. There, she joined the spring whale hunt under the neverending Arctic light, watching for bowhead whales and polar bears, drawn deeply to an Iñupiaq family and their culture amid the disappearing ice.Years later, plunged into sudden poverty and isolation after becoming a single parent, Doreen embarks on an extraordinary journey: following the grey whale migration all the way north to the Iñupiaq family that took her in, where grey and bowhead whales meet at the melting apex of our planet.Soundings is the story of a woman reclaiming her life, mile by mile; a child growing to love an ocean that is profoundly endangered; and a mother learning from another species how to parent in a time of unprecedented change. Intrepid, brave and breathtaking, her travels will take you to the ends of the earth, alongside the whales that call it home.'BEAUTIFUL AND BRAVE, AND STARTLING IN ITS RAW HONESTY' NEIL ANSELL, AUTHOR OF DEEP COUNTRY'STUNNING: FRESH, BRAVE AND UNIQUE' DAMIAN LE BAS, AUTHOR OF THE STOPPING PLACES'A BOOK TO BE DEVOURED' RAMITA NAVAI, AUTHOR OF CITY OF LIES'COMPLETELY UNIQUE AND UNFORGETTABLE' ERICA WAGNER'INTIMATE AND FASCINATING' MARK BOYLE, AUTHOR OF THE WAY HOME'BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND GRIPPING' DANIEL LAVELLE, AUTHOR OF DOWN AND OUT'FASCINATING: AN INTIMATE JOURNEY THROUGH A WORLD ALREADY ALTERED BY CLIMATE CHANGE' SJON, AUTHOR OF THE WHISPERING MUSE