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Haunted San Pedro (Haunted America)
by Brian CluneDiscover the paranormal secrets behind this bustling Los Angeles port—includes photos! Home to one of the busiest ports in the country, San Pedro plays host to visitors from all walks of life—and death. Locals swap supernatural stories of shipwrecked ghosts, lost lighthouse keepers, suicidal lovers, and more. The spirit of a native Gabrieleno man wanders the grounds of the Wayfarers Chapel. The phantom smell of a Civil War officer&’s cigar smoke wafts through the halls of the Drum Barracks. A dedicated employee of the historic Warner Brothers Theatre still fixes jammed film reels and tests equipment in the projection room. In this spine-chilling account, historian and paranormal investigator Brian Clune delves into the history and mysteries of these spooky seaside haunts.
The Figure of Nature: On Greek Origins (Studies in Continental Thought)
by John SallisOne of America&’s preeminent philosophers &“has produced a book with fascinating new insights into the ancient conception of nature&” (Choice). Broaching an understanding of nature in Platonic thought, John Sallis goes beyond modern conceptions and provides a strategy to have recourse to the profound sense of nature operative in ancient Greek philosophy. In a rigorous and textually based account, Sallis traces the complex development of the Greek concept of nature. Beginning with the mythical vision embodied in the figure of the goddess Artemis, he reanimates the sense of nature that informs the fragmentary discourses of Anaximenes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Empedocles and shows how Plato takes up pre-Socratic conceptions critically while also being transformed. Through Sallis&’s close reading of the Theaetetus and the Phaedo, he recovers the profound and comprehensive concept of nature in Plato&’s thought.
The Early Years: China to Me, Hong Kong Holiday, and England to Me
by Emily HahnMemoirs of an exotic, unconventional life in Asia and Great Britain in the 1930s and 1940s, from a colorful, prolific New Yorker writer ahead of her time. China to Me: A proud feminist and fearless traveler, Emily Hahn set out for China in 1935 and stayed through the early years of the Second Sino-Japanese War, wandering, carousing, living, loving—and writing. During her travels from Nanjing to Shanghai, Chongqing, and Hong Kong, where she lived through the Japanese invasion in 1941, Hahn embarks upon an affair with lauded Chinese poet Shao Xunmei; gets a pet gibbon and names him Mr. Mills; establishes a close bond with the women who would become the subjects of her bestselling book The Soong Sisters; battles an acquired addiction to opium; and has a child with Charles Boxer, a married British intelligence officer. Deemed scandalous at the time of its publication in 1944, Hahn&’s now classic memoir remains remarkable for her insights into a tumultuous period and frankness about her personal exploits. &“The keen prose is suffused with an intellectual freedom and freshness of perspective that vivify the concerns of a long-gone world.&” —Publishers Weekly Hong Kong Holiday: The same day they attacked Pearl Harbor, the Japanese invaded the British colony of Hong Kong, which they would occupy until their surrender in 1945. Emily Hahn was living there with her newborn daughter. The baby&’s father, Charles Boxer, the local head of British army intelligence, was imprisoned in a POW camp. With sharp observations and incisive wit, Hahn gives a vivid picture of her time in the oppressed city—from daily life in the bazaars, beauty shops, restaurants, and opium dens to the crowded hospitals and internment camps—until she fled the city in 1943 with her daughter. England to Me: Following the end of the Second World War, Hahn married Charles Boxer—fortunately reports of his beheading by the Japanese had been greatly exaggerated—and they returned to his inherited estate in the English countryside. From Southampton to London, Hahn offers a fascinating portrait of a postwar country in flux, as well as her own struggles to adjust to a more sedate English country life after her harrowing but exciting years in the Far East.
The Balance Wheel: A Novel
by Taylor CaldwellNew York Times Bestseller: On the eve of WWI, a wealthy German immigrant fights for his family&’s future in this &“stirring . . . exciting&” tale (Chicago Sunday Tribune). Pennsylvania, 1913. The four Wittmann brothers manufacture steel precision tools. Jochen (Joe) is a ruthless businessman who seeks to improve the bottom line at any cost. Friedrich (Fred) dabbles in Socialism but would never sacrifice his dividends. Wilhelm (Willie) prefers to collect art rather than visit the factory floor. Only Karl (Charles), a widower, has the vision to keep the family business in the black. Now, as the winds of war sweep across Europe, anti-German sentiment turns the family&’s allies against them, and war profiteers threaten to remake the entire steel industry into a merchant of death. But Charles&’s greatest worry is that his son will be shipped overseas to die. As Charles struggles against powerful forces inside and outside the Wittmann family, he finds an ally in Willie&’s neglected wife, Phyllis. Who can predict if their unlikely romance is cause for hope or a sign of impending disaster? A stirring family saga and a brilliant exposé of the military-industrial complex, The Balance Wheel ranks alongside Dynasty of Death and Captains and the Kings as one of Taylor Caldwell&’s finest accomplishments.
Ghosts of Santa Barbara and the Ojai Valley (Haunted America)
by Evie YbarraStories of spirits, séances, and strange events in Southern California history—photos included! From the Chumash legends of the Dolphins and the Whispering Tree to the ghostly sightings at Sedgwick Reserve, hauntings abound here. In beautiful La Conchita, nightfall reveals dark secrets to anyone who will listen. Sightings of mysterious apparitions are common along Creek Road, considered one of the most haunted highways in California. In the 1800s, Summerland was home to spiritualists who held séances in the Big Yellow House. The Santa Barbara Mission is home to many specters, including the famous Franciscan monk said to roam the cemetery and gardens. Discover these stories and more with author Evie Ybarra as she explores the haunted side of history.
CakeLove in the Morning: Recipes For Muffins, Scones, Pancakes, Waffles, Biscuits, Frittatas, And Other Breakfast Treats
by Warren BrownA simple cookbook for breakfast—or brunch—to start the day off right! In CakeLove in the Morning, Warren Brown, founder of the CakeLove bakeries, covers it all: pancakes and French toast, frittatas and omelets, quick breads and cereals, bacon and biscuits. Explaining the basics and adding his own trademark twists on classic recipes, Brown shows how to make Coconut Waffles with Bananas Foster topping, Breakfast Lasagna, Multigrain Rum Raisin Scones, and much more. And true to his motto of &“no cabinet unopened,&” he also offers spreads, sauces, and salads to go along with your favorite breakfast and brunch dishes—so you&’ll be prepared for a delicious and satisfying morning meal whether you&’re cooking for yourself, feeding your family, or entertaining weekend guests.
Murder at the Chase: A Locked Room Mystery Set In 1950s England (The Langham & Dupré Mysteries #2)
by Eric BrownCrime writer sleuth Donald Langham is faced with the classic locked-room conundrum in this &“ripping good&” historical mystery (Booklist). July, 1955. Donald Langham has interrupted his romantic break in rural Suffolk with the delectable Maria Dupré to assist a fellow writer. Alasdair Endicott has requested Langham&’s help in discovering what&’s happened to his father, Edward, who seems to have disappeared without trace from inside his locked study. Before he vanished, the elder Endicott had been researching a book on the notorious Satanist Vivian Stafford. Could the proposed biography have something to do with his disappearance? Does local resident Stafford really possess supernatural powers, as some believe? As Langham and Dupré question those around them, it becomes clear that there have been strange goings-on in the sleepy village of Humble Barton. But is the village really haunted—or does someone merely want it to look that way? With a further shocking discovery, the case takes a disturbing new twist. &“For readers who enjoy classic Golden Age mysteries,&” Eric Brown&’s &“charming English locked-room mystery features a well-crafted and exciting plot and two attractive protagonists&” (Library Journal). &“Reads like a country-house whodunit from the golden age, packed with fascinating characters, each boasting a motive for murder.&” —Kirkus Reviews &“Plenty of unexpected twists. Agatha Christie fans will find a lot to like.&” —Publishers Weekly
Cold Florida: A Foggy Moskowitz Mystery (The Foggy Moskowitz Mysteries #1)
by Phillip DePoyA wisecracking former car thief turns amateur sleuth in this &“appealing, offbeat&” thriller series debut from an Edgar Award–winning author (Booklist). It&’s 1974. Foggy Moskowitz, once a Jewish car thief on the run from the Brooklyn authorities, is now in Florida working for Child Protective Services. For personal reasons. An unlikely but tenacious child protection officer, he&’s investigating the case of a missing infant taken from the hospital by her addict mother. But the case takes several unexpected turns—including a vision quest—as Foggy journeys from seedy Fry&’s Bay to Indian Seminole swampland. Along the way he encounters more than a few interesting characters, including John Horse, an Indian mystic, and works to foil a vast land-grab scam by an uber-rich felon. By turns amusing and moving, mixing passion with pathos, and introducing some truly colorful characters, Cold Florida is the first in an irreverent mystery series from the acclaimed author of the Fever Devlin novels. &“DePoy&’s lively mix of Seminole history and the wry observations of a &‘Yankee Jew criminal&’ make for an amusing tale.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Those who are able to roll with Foggy will get an unholy kick out of the characters&’ flexible allegiances and the hero&’s colorful descriptions.&” —Kirkus Reviews
Ghosts of the Queen Mary (Haunted America)
by Bob Davis Brian CluneLearn the stories behind this luxurious—and haunted—ocean liner . . . Includes photos! For thirty-one years, the RMS Queen Mary sailed the North Atlantic. It helped defeat Hitler and was the ship of choice for the world&’s rich and famous. Now in retirement in the Port of Long Beach, the &“Stateliest Ship Afloat&” plays host to tourists, travelers—and more than six hundred spirits that roam her halls and passageways. These choice decks remain the floating home of a few regulars, including the oft-glimpsed White Lady, as well as Little Jackie, John Henry and, of course, Grumpy. Join paranormal investigators Brian Clune and Bob Davis as they take you to the hot spots of activity from port to starboard and relate tales from the dockside about the spirits that haunt the grandest liner ever built.
The Novels of Iris Murdoch Volume Two: The Flight from the Enchanter, The Red and the Green, and The Time of the Angels
by Iris MurdochThree unforgettable novels from the Man Booker Prize–winning author of The Sea, the Sea and &“consummate storyteller&” (The Independent). &“One of the most significant novelists of her generation&” (The Guardian), the &“prodigiously inventive&” British author Iris Murdoch grappled with questions of morality as well as the nature of love in novels that are every bit as entertaining as they are thought provoking (The New York Times). Over the span of her career, she was the recipient of the Man Booker Prize, the Whitbread Literary Award, and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. The Flight from the Enchanter: In 1950s London, when the enigmatic and charismatic businessman Mischa Fox turns his entrepreneurial gaze on a small feminist magazine, his intoxicating influence begins to affect the lives of those involved: the fragile editor, Hunter; his sister, Rosa, who splits her time and affections between her brother and two other men; innocent Annette, whose journey from school to the real world ends up being more fraught than she could have foreseen; as well as their circle of friends and acquaintances, all of whom find themselves both seduced and repulsed by Fox. &“Brilliant, witty, and original.&” —The Sunday Times The Red and the Green: In 1916, as World War I rages across Europe, Andrew Chase-White, lieutenant in the British army, travels to Ireland to see his extended family. Though he was raised in England by Protestant parents, many of his relations on the Emerald Isle are Catholic and nationalist. His arrival in Dublin ignites old resentments, new passions, political tensions, and religious crises, sending the family into a torrent of fights and alliances, affairs and betrayals. And as the historic gunfire begins at the General Post Office on the day of the Easter Rebellion, the lives of Andrew and his kin will be changed forever. &“[Murdoch is] prodigiously inventive.&” —The New York Times The Time of the Angels: In a crumbling London rectory after the Second World War, a priest descends into a spiritual crisis and madness. Carel Fisher was once a bastion of faith, a shining example of Anglican goodness and Christian values. But time and circumstance have worn him down as surely as the bombs of the Blitz have broken apart the very walls around him. His convictions have vanished, as has his belief in mankind. As relationships and desires, resentments and retributions, begin to crowd the small church, secrets are revealed that will shatter the lives of all involved. &“Excites and delights.&” —The New York Times
Haunted Green Bay (Haunted America)
by Timothy FreissTitletown, USA turns into Ghost Town, USA with chilling tales of weird Wisconsin. Green Bay has always been a city with a fierce sense of tradition complemented by a friendly atmosphere. Those qualities seem to attract not only living visitors but also spirits of the dead. Tour the city&’s haunted past with Tim Freiss as he follows the trail of the tragic, the inexplicable and the just plain spooky. From the desecration of the father of Wisconsin&’s burial spot to the winery that was a stop on the Underground Railroad to the nightclub haunted by a bullet-riddled love triangle, Haunted Green Bay stirs up the kind of history that keeps us awake a little bit longer once the lights are out. Includes photos!
Flying Warrior: My Life as a Naval Aviator During the Vietnam War
by Jules HarperA Vietnam veteran takes you into the cockpit and shares true stories of his flying career in this compelling memoir. In this action-packed memoir, Jules Harper recounts the unique process of becoming a naval aviator, revealing his experiences as a brand new pilot in a combat squadron and, finally, a flying warrior. He survived two combat cruises aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk from 1966–1968, compiled 332 career carrier takeoffs and landings, and was shot at daily by enemy fire while completing 200 combat missions over Vietnam, and shares the views of the aviators who flew along with him on these missions while fighting this unpopular war. A recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, twenty-one Air Medals, and many other accolades, he offers readers a new understanding and appreciation of the warriors who protect not only their comrades in arms, but the defense of the nation as well.
Paul V. McNutt and the Age of FDR (Encounters: Explorations in Folklore and Ethnomusicology)
by Dean J. KotlowskiThis &“definitive biography of Indiana Gov. Paul V. McNutt&” shows the politician&’s &“importance on the national stage" through the Great Depression and WWII (Indianapolis Star).The 34th Governor of Indiana, head of the WWII Federal Security Agency, and ambassador to the Philippines, Paul V. McNutt was a major figure in mid-twentieth century American politics whose White House ambitions were effectively blocked by his friend and rival, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This historical biography explores McNutt&’s life, his era, and his relationship with FDR. McNutt&’s life underscores the challenges and changes Americans faced during an age of economic depression, global conflict, and decolonialization. With extensive research and detail, biographer Dean J. Kotlowski sheds light on the expansion of executive power at the state level during the Great Depression, the theory and practice of liberalism as federal administrators understood it in the 1930s and 1940s, the mobilization of the American home front during World War II, and the internal dynamics of the Roosevelt and Truman administrations.
Defeating Lee: A History of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac
by Lawrence A. Kreiser Jr.&“Kreiser breathes new life into this most important of Union Army units. . . . A remarkably well-written and superbly researched account.&” —David E. Long, author of The Jewel of Liberty: Abraham Lincoln&’s Re-election and the End of Slavery Fair Oaks, the Seven Days, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, Petersburg—the list of significant battles fought by the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, is a long and distinguished one. This absorbing history of the Second Corps follows the unit&’s creation and rise to prominence, the battles that earned it a reputation for hard fighting, and the legacy its veterans sought to maintain in the years after the Civil War. More than an account of battles, Defeating Lee gets to the heart of what motivated these men, why they fought so hard, and how they sustained a spirited defense of cause and country long after the guns had fallen silent. &“[An] excellent contribution to Civil War history shelves.&” —Midwest Book Review &“Lawrence Kreiser tells the Second Corps&’ story with verve and attention to personal as well as bureaucratic details.&” —Civil War Librarian
Ready, Set, Live!: Empowering Strategies for an Enlightened Life
by Marci Shimoff Janet Bray Attwood Chris Attwood Geoff AffleckAn inspirational guide for overcoming adversity and leading a fulfilled life, with contributions by more than two dozen experts on personal transformation. Trials and difficulties are a part of life. Whether these adversities are related to one&’s health, finances, career, or family, we all have burdens to work through. With wisdom from more than 25 transformational leaders, including New York Times–bestselling authors Janet Bray Attwood, Marci Shimoff and Chris Attwood, this inspiring collection offers practical advice for pushing through hardships and consciously creating the life you&’ve always wanted. Here you will find engaging personal accounts punctuated with humor, deep insight, and heart-centered wisdom. These entertaining tales contain the knowledge, tools, and motivation you need to build abundance, happiness, health, and love. Covering topics from career to relationships to personal growth, this international team of authors will show you how to finally overcome some of life&’s most stubborn challenges and live the life you were destined for. No matter what your circumstances, there is a way to make a change. Let Ready, Set, Live! Be your guide.
The Beethoven Sonatas and the Creative Experience
by Kenneth DrakeThe definitive study of Beethoven&’s piano sonatas is &“remarkable as an insider&’s account of the works in an individual perspective.&” (European Music Teacher) In &“one of the most interesting, useful and even exciting books on the process of musical creation&” (American Music Teacher), Kenneth O. Drake groups the Beethoven piano sonatas according to their musical qualities, rather than their chronology. He explores the interpretive implications of rhythm, dynamics, slurs, harmonic effects, and melodic development and identifies specific measures where Beethoven skillfully employs these compositional devices. An interpreter searching for meaning, Drake begins with Beethoven&’s expressive treatment of the keyboard—the variations of touch, articulation, line, color, use of silence, and the pacing of musical ideas. He then analyzes individual sonatas, exploring motivic development, philosophic overtones, and technical demands. Hundreds of musical examples illustrate this exploration of emotional and interpretive implications of &“the 32.&” Here musicians are encouraged to exercise intuition and independence of thought, complementing their performance skills with logical conclusions about ideas and relationships within the score.
Teaching Islamic Studies in the Age of ISIS, Islamophobia, and the Internet (Encounters: Explorations in Folklore and Ethnomusicology)
by William Maynard Hutchins Kecia Ali Todd Green Kimberly Hall Doaa Baumi Manuela Ceballos Nathan S. French Shehnaz Haqqani Benjamin Geer Mouez Khalfaoui Alfons H. Teipen Laila Hussein Moustafa Sabahat F. Adil Phil Dorroll Lyndall Herman&“A much-needed volume and a must read&” for educators addressing a challenging topic in a challenging time (Choice). How can teachers introduce the subject of Islam when daily headlines and social-media disinformation can prejudice students&’ perception of the subject? Should Islam be taught differently in secular universities than in colleges with a clear faith-based mission? What are strategies for discussing Islam and violence without perpetuating stereotypes? The contributors of Teaching Islamic Studies in the Age of ISIS, Islamophobia, and the Internet address these challenges head-on and consider approaches to Islamic studies pedagogy, Islamophobia, and violence, and suggestions for how to structure courses. These approaches acknowledge the particular challenges faced when teaching a topic that students might initially fear or distrust. Speaking from their own experience, they include examples of collaborative teaching models, reading and media suggestions, and ideas for group assignments that encourage deeper engagement and broader thinking. The contributors also share personal struggles when confronted with students (including Muslim students) and parents who suspected the courses might have ulterior motives. In an age of stereotypes and misrepresentations of Islam, this book offers a range of means by which teachers can encourage students to thoughtfully engage with the topic of Islam. &“Abundant and useful references…Highly recommended.&”—Choice
Gold Is a Better Way: . . . And Other Wealth Building Secrets Wall Street Doesn't Want You To Know
by Adam BarattaThe shocking truth about where the markets are headed and why owning physical gold—not paper assets—is a far better strategy to building real wealth. An indispensable resource for the everyday investor, Gold Is A Better Way turns the strategies recommended by Wall Street on their head and makes the case for a return to sound investing. Adam Baratta strips away all the confusion and complexities surrounding investing and breaks down investment concepts and the simple fundamentals driving markets. He provides a roadmap for how to win at the game of investing and, more importantly, explains the &“why&” so readers can continue to win. Everyday investors gain tools that allow them to know with certainty they are making sound investment decisions, as well as an understanding of where to diversify investments that have historically performed well. There is a massive environmental shift happening in financial markets. Interest rates are rising and what has been very easy for investors in the past is about to become very hard. Everything people think they know about investing is being turned on its head. It's time to change investing behavior. &“A fresh new voice in the world of gold . . . Baratta&’s book and cutting edge platform make the undeniable case why gold demands consideration in every portfolio.&” —ZeroHedge
A Zionist among Palestinians (Encounters: Explorations in Folklore and Ethnomusicology)
by Hillel Bardin&“A testimony to the effort to bring about change, to educate Palestinians and Israelis about one another, and to touch them one at a time.&”—Jewish Book Council A Zionist Among Palestinians offers the perspective of an ordinary Israeli citizen who became concerned about the Israeli military&’s treatment of Palestinians and was moved to work for peace. Hillel Bardin, a confirmed Zionist, was a reservist in the Israeli army during the first intifada when he met Palestinians arrested by his unit. He learned that they supported peace with Israel and the then-taboo proposal for a two-state solution, and that they understood the intifada as a struggle to achieve these goals. Bardin began to organize dialogues between Arabs and Israelis in West Bank villages, towns, and refugee camps. In 1988, he was jailed for meeting with Palestinians while on active duty in Ramallah. Over the next two decades, he participated in a variety of peace organizations and actions, from arranging for Israelis to visit Palestinian communities and homes, to the joint jogging group &“Runners for Peace,&” to marches, political organizing, and demonstrations supporting peace, security, and freedom. In this very personal account, Bardin tries to come to grips with the conflict in a way that takes account of both Israeli-Zionist and Palestinian aims. &“A rare first-hand account of dialogue and joint-action efforts on the ground between Israelis and Palestinians [and] brings to light unknown grassroots episodes that illustrate both the hopeful potential for coexistence and the huge obstacles that continue to plague these well-intentioned efforts.&”—Neil Caplan, author of The Israel-Palestine Conflict: Contested Histories &“Enlightening and moving.&”—Howard M. Sachar, author of A History of Israel
The Last Walk: Reflections on Our Pets at the End of Their Lives
by Jessica Pierce&“Should be required reading for every pet owner. Readers will identify with Pierce&’s feelings of ambivalence…as they read about Ody&’s antics and challenges.&”—Library Journal Watching our beloved animals grow older is never easy. This book, by a bioethicist who recounts the moving story of her dog Ody&’s final year, also presents an in-depth exploration of the practical, medical, and moral issues that pet owners confront with the decline of their companion animals. Combining heart-wrenching personal stories, interviews, and scientific research to consider a wide range of questions about animal aging, end-of-life care, and death, Jessica Pierce tackles such vexing questions as whether animals are aware of death, whether they're feeling pain, and if and when euthanasia is appropriate. Given what we know and can learn, how should we best honor the lives of our pets, both while they live and after they have left us? The product of a lifetime of loving pets, studying philosophy, and collaborating with scientists at the forefront of the study of animal behavior and cognition, The Last Walk asks—and answers—the toughest questions pet owners face. &“Using her experience caring for her elderly Vizsla as a springboard, Pierce, who is a bioethicist, explores the evolution of North American attitudes toward pets and their demise, while delving as deeply as she can into her own feelings as her dog Ody goes into decline.&”—Globe and Mail &“With her beautiful &‘Ody's journal&’ passages, Jessica Pierce made me feel close to her beloved and high-maintenance old dog. It was through Ody&’s challenges, and Pierce's on his behalf, that I came to grapple in important new ways with issues of pet aging and death. This book is revolutionary, and I loved it with all my heart.&”—Barbara J. King, author of Being with Animals
The Hearts of a Girl: The Journey Through Congenital Heart Disease & Heart Transplant
by Jessica CarmelA riveting medical memoir about a family&’s journey through multiple surgeries, and a determined battle for survival. Jessica Carmel was born with a severe congenital heart condition. When she was just four days old, her parents learned she would need heart surgery. They had no idea that her future held multiple surgeries and even more unexpected challenges. Sixteen years later, as Jessica sat in her cardiologist&’s office for a routine checkup, he told her and her mom that there was nothing more he could do for her. Jessica needed a heart transplant. Three weeks later, Jessica underwent heart transplant surgery. Her recovery was long, but good—but about ten years later, she learned that she was in desperate need of a new kidney. Her only hope of survival was her sister, Amy—who heroically offered up one of her own kidneys. Now their mother would be seeing both of her daughters off to the operating room . . . This remarkable story of one young woman&’s journey through the medical maze—including financial struggles and battles with insurance companies—and a family&’s determination to survive and thrive together, is both an informative, fascinating look at health care and an uplifting, inspiring read.
Alive on the Andrea Doria!: The Greatest Sea Rescue in History
by Pierette Domenica SimpsonA breathtaking minute-by-minute account of the most catastrophic tragedy-at-sea since the sinking of the Titanic—told by a survivor. More than one half-century later, the catastrophic ramming of the MS Stockholm into the Italian luxury liner, the SS Andrea Doria in 1956, is relived in this candid, heartrending account. Author Pierette Domenica Simpson, who, with her grandparents, survived the tragedy off the shoals of Nantucket, shares the human and technical aspects of what has become known as the greatest sea rescue in history. As only an eyewitness can do, Simpson shares the survivors&’ harrowing recollections that meticulously recreate the terrifying and heart-wrenching tragedy that united poor immigrants and wealthy travelers alike. They give their accounts of ultimate despair and infinite elation after staring at their own reflections in the black ocean that night and seeing death stare back. Equally dramatic are the revelations of new facts exposed by nautical experts from two continents that finally solve the mystery of who was to blame for this most improbable collision between two random ships on the open Atlantic.
Walden Warming: Climate Change Comes to Thoreau's Woods
by Richard B. Primack&“An unnervingly close-to-home perspective [on] the dynamics and impact of climate change on plants, birds, and myriad other species, including us.&”—Booklist In his meticulous notes on the natural history of Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau records the first open flowers of highbush blueberry on May 11, 1853. If he were to look for the first blueberry flowers in Concord today, mid-May would be too late. Warming temperatures have pushed blueberry flowering three weeks earlier, and in 2012, following a period of record-breaking warmth, blueberries began flowering on April 1—six weeks earlier than in Thoreau&’s time. In Walden Warming, Richard B. Primack uses Thoreau and Walden, icons of the conservation movement, to track the effects of a warming climate on Concord&’s plants and animals, with the notes that Thoreau made years ago transformed from charming observations into scientific data sets. Primack finds that many wildflower species that Thoreau observed, including familiar groups such as irises, asters, and lilies, have declined in abundance or disappeared from Concord. Primack also describes how warming temperatures have altered other aspects of Thoreau&’s Concord, from the dates when ice departs from Walden Pond in late winter, to the arrival of birds in the spring, to the populations of fish, salamanders, and butterflies that live in the woodlands, river meadows, and ponds. Demonstrating the effects of climate change in a unique, concrete way using this historical and literary landmark as a touchstone, Richard Primack urges us to heed the advice Thoreau offers in Walden: to live simply and wisely. In the process, we can minimize our own contributions to our warming climate.
After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals (Life Of The Past Ser.)
by Donald R. ProtheroA fascinating study of the thousands of new animal species that walked in the footsteps of the dinosaurs—and the climate changes that brought them forth. The fascinating group of animals called dinosaurs became extinct some 65 million years ago (except for their feathered descendants). In their place evolved an enormous variety of land creatures, especially mammals, which in their way were every bit as remarkable as their Mesozoic cousins. The Age of Mammals, the Cenozoic Era, has never had its Jurassic Park, but it was an amazing time in earth&’s history, populated by a wonderful assortment of bizarre animals. The rapid evolution of thousands of species of mammals brought forth many incredible creatures―including our own ancestors. Their story is part of a larger story of new life emerging from the greenhouse conditions of the Mesozoic, warming up dramatically about 55 million years ago, and then cooling rapidly so that 33 million years ago the glacial ice returned. The earth&’s vegetation went through equally dramatic changes, from tropical jungles in Montana and forests at the poles. Life in the sea underwent striking evolution reflecting global climate change, including the emergence of such creatures as giant sharks, seals, sea lions, dolphins, and whales. Engaging and insightful, After the Dinosaurs is a book for everyone who has an abiding fascination with the remarkable life of the past.
The Syrian Jewelry Box: A Daughter's Journey for Truth
by Carina Sue BurnsAfter she discovers a shocking family secret, Carina takes a journey toward self-acceptance in this &“must-read for anyone who is adopted&” (Richard Krawczyk). A young American growing up in the Middle East, Carina Rourke enjoys a blissful innocence until, at age fifteen, she is captivated by an obsessive desire to look inside her mother&’s forbidden jewelry box. There, Carina discovers a shocking family secret. On the heels of her discovery, she and her family pursue her father&’s dream of a road trip through the Middle East and Europe. Their adventure serves as a metaphoric journey for the woman Carina becomes—a silent nomad searching for identity. When they reach Paris, Carina is entranced by the city&’s temptations. French pastries become a dangerous addiction and an accomplice in silence . . . and so does the love of a mysterious Tunisian. Many years later, as a married mother in Holland, Carina draws on her father&’s wisdom to finally confront the family secret and begin to heal herself and her family. &“Carina&’s book shows you how to become empowered by the sometimes shocking and traumatic experience of adoption.&” —Richard Krawczyk, author of Ultimate Success Blueprint