- Table View
- List View
Getting Schooled: The Re-Education of an American Teacher
by Garret KeizerIn this powerful, eloquent story of his return to the classroom, a former teacher offers a rousing defense of his beleaguered vocationPerhaps no profession is so constantly discussed, regulated, and maligned by non-practitioners as teaching. The voices of the teachers themselves are conspicuously missing. Defying this trend, teacher and writer Garret Keizer takes us to school—literally—in this arresting account of his return to the same rural Vermont high school where he taught fourteen years ago.Much has changed since then—a former student is his principal, standardized testing is the reigning god, and smoking in the boys' room has been supplanted by texting in the boys' room. More familiar are the effects of poverty, the exuberance of youth, and the staggering workload that technology has done as much to increase as to lighten. Telling the story of Keizer's year in the classroom, Getting Schooled takes us everywhere a teacher might go: from field trips to school plays to town meetings, from a kid's eureka moment to a parent's dark night of the soul.At once fiercely critical and deeply contemplative, Keizer exposes the obstacles that teachers face daily—and along the way takes aim at some cherished cant: that public education is doomed, that the heroic teacher is the cure for all that ails education, that educational reform can serve as a cheap substitute for societal reformation.Angry, humorous, and always hopeful, Getting Schooled is as good an argument as we are likely to hear for a substantive reassessment of our schools and those who struggle in them.
Lailah (The Styclar Saga)
by Nikki KellyThe girl knows she's different. She doesn't age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve darker forces. Jonah and the few like him are fighting with help from an unlikely ally, a rogue Angel named Gabriel.In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is.
One Crow Alone (After the Snow)
by S. D. CrockettA new Ice Age is descending. . . .Food is expensive. Fuel is rationed. People are hungry, cold, and desperate.Living in an isolated Polish village with her grandmother, fifteen-year-old Magda Krol has no idea of the troubles sweeping across the planet. But when her village is evacuated without her, Magda must make her way alone across the frozen wilderness to Krakow, and then on to London, where she dreams of finding warmth and safety with her long-lost mother. In One Crow Alone, the prequel to After the Snow, S. D. Crockett turns back the clock to follow practical Magda (Willo's stepmother) through a world of growing lawlessness, hunger, brutality, and fear.
Finding the Game: Three Years, Twenty-Five Countries, and the Search for Pickup Soccer
by Gwendolyn OxenhamAcross two dozen countries—from back alleys to remote beaches to the roofs of skyscrapers—an eye-opening journey into the heart of soccerEvery country has a different term for it: In the United States it's "pickup." In Trinidad it's "taking a sweat." In Brazil it's "pelada" (literally "naked"). It's the other side of soccer, those spontaneous matches played away from the bright lights and manicured fields—the game for anyone, anywhere.At sixteen, Gwendolyn Oxenham was the youngest Division I athlete in NCAA history, a starter and leading goal-scorer for Duke. At twenty, she graduated, the women's professional soccer league folded, and her career was over. In Finding the Game, Oxenham, along with her boyfriend and two friends, chases the part of the game that outlasts a career. They bribe their way into a Bolivian prison, bet shillings on a game with moonshine brewers in Kenya, play with women in hijab on a court in Tehran—and discover what the world looks like when you wander down side streets, holding on to a ball.An entertaining, heartfelt look at the soul of a sport and a thrilling travel narrative, this book is proof that on the field and in life, some things need no translation.
Hide-and-Seek with Angels: A Life of J. M. Barrie
by Lisa ChaneyWhat kind of man creates a boy who never grows up? More than 100 years after Peter Pan first appeared on the London stage, author J. M. Barrie remains one of the most complex and enigmatic figures in modern literature. A few facts, of course, are widely known: Peter Pan made Barrie the richest author of his time, and he bequeathed the royalties to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children. He was married, but later divorced, and he was devoted to the orphaned sons of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, one of whom was named Peter. And then the rumors begin—about the nature of his marriage; about his precise relationship with the Davies boys, whose guardian he became; about the fantasies and demons that determined his achievements. In this brilliant biography, Lisa Chaney goes beyond the myths to discover the fascinating, frequently misunderstood man behind the famous boy. James Matthew Barrie was born in a village in Scotland in 1860, the ninth of 10 children of a linen-weaver and his wife. When James was six years old, his older brother died in a skating accident, and his mother began her withdrawal into grief. It is not an exaggeration to say that Barrie's entire life—both his professional triumphs as a writer and his personal tragedies—led up to the creation of Peter Pan, the play where "all children except one grow up." As Lisa Chaney explores Barrie's own struggles to grow up, she deepens our understanding both of his most famous character and of the complex relationship between life and art.
Chakras & Shadow Work: Align Your Energy Centers and Explore Your Hidden Self
by Stefani MichelleEmbrace Your Shadow Self, Chakra by Chakra, and Reclaim Your JoySharing simple exercises, rituals, and self-reflection questions, Stefani Michelle guides you through the seven chakras and teaches you how their energies can shine a light on your shadows and heal buried emotions. With her guidance, you will:• Explore your inner self • Confront your fears • Change negative behavior patterns • Heal generational trauma • Increase compassion for yourself and others • Improve your relationships • Unlock your full potentialChakras & Shadow Work provides many techniques for achieving greater self-awareness and uncovering hidden aspects of yourself. Throughout these pages, you'll use journal prompts, affirmations, visualizations, and yoga sequences to access each chakra's unique energy. This book also features chakra-specific correspondences, including colors, elements, gemstones, oils and herbs, foods, physical and emotional connections, psychic abilities, and more.Stefani empowers you to forge your personal healing path, guiding you toward manifesting the life of your dreams with newfound clarity and purpose.
The Magical Use of Prayer Beads: Secret Meditations & Rituals for Your Qabalistic, Hermetic, Wiccan or Druid Practice
by Jean-Louis de BiasiJoin author Jean-Louis de Biasi as he explores how the profound tactile experience of using prayer beads can be used to deepen spiritual work in Qabala, Wicca, Druidry, and Hermetic traditions. With tips and techniques for choosing prayer beads as well as cleansing and consecrating them for spiritual use, The Magical Use of Prayer Beads is an ideal guide for beginners and adepts alike. Includes rituals that can be performed alone, with two people, or with a group—extending the useful applications and power beyond the more traditional approaches. This book explores unique practices for some of the most prominent Western mystery traditions, creating new paths on the journey of spirituality and magic.
Escape to West Berlin
by Maurine F. DahlbergThe advent of the WallHeidi's thirteenth birthday is coming up, but she's disappointed -- her mother is pregnant and refuses to make the annual summer visit to Heidi's grandmother. What's more, it's 1961 and the government is cracking down on border crossers, people who work in the West but live in the East. Heidi's father is a border crosser, and her best friend, Petra, has been forbidden to see Heidi until her father finds a new job in East Berlin. Heidi feels betrayed. Then, as political tension mounts, her parents tell her they are secretly moving West, and Heidi must travel alone to get her grandmother. But how can she do it without Petra's help?The author captures all the terror of the time in her gripping story of an indomitable heroine who steals across the Berlin border by facing her greatest fear.
Discover Your Authentic Self: Be You, Be Free, Be Happy
by Sherrie DillardEmbrace your authentic self and let your soul's light shine forth with guidance from 150 lessons meant to inspire, motivate, and teach. This empowering book helps you shed what is false and come to know, accept, and express your true self.With essays to uplift and engage you through personal stories, meditations, exercises, affirmations, and question prompts, Discover Your Authentic Self shows you how to live according to your passions and purpose. Explore a range of topics for self-discovery, including intuition, spirit animals, recognizing personal abilities as related to archetypes, living your purpose, spirit essence and energy (chakras and auras), and more. With this remarkable book, you'll unlock your truth and set yourself free.
Show World: A Novel
by Wilton BarnhardtThe author of the beloved novels Gospel and Emma Who Saved My Life, Wilton Barnhardt is a writer of rare and extraordinary talent who has yet to walk the same ground twice. With Show World he offers a contemporary woman's story that will haunt its every reader. Samantha Flint, the figure at the book's center, flees the Midwest for Smith College to shake her past, to invent a future she can live with. There she meets the redoubtable Mimi Mohr; together and apart they move from New York to DC to LA. Yet even as each new city takes them to fresh heights of power and wealth, everything Sam wants seems to elude her--and after a series of lapses, both desperate and careless, she finds her dreams have turned against her.A work of withering satire and unmatched imagination, Show World is Wilton Barnhardt's clear-eyed estimate of America and what we all want out of her.
Oh Sew Easy(R) Table Toppers: 27 Projects for Stylish Living
by Valori Wells Jean WellsSet a Tempting Table With Toppers You Sew Yourself! • Don’t worry if you’re a beginner! Jean and Valori show you how every step of the way with lots of illustrated how-to tips and techniques • A must-have addition to your Oh Sew Easy® home décor library • No patterns to follow — includes easy rotary-cutting instructions, ideas for fabric colors and themes, and how-tos for binding, hems, and edge treatments Dinner at your house is the hottest ticket in town when you dress up your table with toppers you design and make! Say bye-bye to blah when you mix and match beautiful fabrics to create just the right look. No hard-to-handle tissue patterns, just easy step-by-step instructions for measuring and adapting the projects for your table. Lots of photos and examples get you inspired.
A New Light on Storm at Sea Quilts
by Wendy MathsonTake this Scrap-Quilter's Favorite in Bold New Directions • Open up new creative possibilities for the traditional Storm at Sea block with innovative design and construction techniques • Make 6 elegantly curved Storm at Sea quilt projects with all straight-line piecing • Assemble your blocks the easy way with fast2cut Quilters' TRIMplate trimming rulers, or use the included full-size patterns for paper piecing • See many other stunning Storm at Sea designs in the gallery of quilts, including several by nationally known quilters If you've never tried the beautiful Storm at Sea block because of its "hard-to-piece" reputation, you'll change your mind once you try Wendy's easy new piecing methods. But that's not all-you'll also learn to create your own Storm at Sea designs and bring dramatic new life to an old favorite.
Waiting for the Past: Poems
by Les MurrayA new collection of poems from Les Murray that renews and transforms the contemporary world through languageIn Waiting for the Past, Les Murray employs his molten sense of language to renew and transform our experience of the world. With quicksilver verse, he conjures his rural past, the life of the poor dairy boy in Australia, as he simultaneously feels the steady tug of aging, of time pulling him back to the present. Here, syntax, sense, and sound combine with such acrobatic grace that his poems render the familiar into the unknown, the unknown into the revelatory. Whether Murray is writing about a boy on a walkabout hiding from grief, a sounding whale “spilling salt rain,” or leaves that “tread on the sky,” the great Australian poet’s sense of wonder, his ear for the everyday, his swiftness of thought, are everywhere in these pages. As Derek Walcott said of Murray’s work, “There is no poetry in the English language now so rooted in its sacredness, so broad-leafed in its pleasures, and yet so intimate and conversational.”
Weapons of Mass Distraction: Soft Power and American Empire
by Matthew FraserIn its march to becoming the world's first hyper-power, the United States has been as dependent on its soft power - the allure of American lifestyles and culture - as it has been on the hard power of military might. In Weapons of Mass Distraction, Matthew Fraser examines the role of American pop cultural industries in international affairs.Fraser focuses on the major areas of soft power - movies, television, pop music, and fast food - and traces the origins, history and current influence of these on U.S. foreign policy. He describes how the American film, television, and music industries enjoy a ubiquitous global presence that has made them indispensable to the U.S. government, which has often gone so far as to fund them directly, including the White House-sponsored radio station in the Middle East launched with the hopes of winning over Muslim youths with American pop songs. A Coca-Cola lobbyist once famously declared that "The best barometer of the relationship of the U.S. and any other country is the way Coca-Cola is treated." Fraser proves this claim isn't to be taken lightly. He charts the global spread of the fast food industry, the role of Coca-Cola and McDonald's in American foreign policy and the recent rise of their opponents: the anti-globalization movement.Do things really go better with Coca-Cola? Fraser's answer is a resounding yes. While American soft power remains a contentious issue, he believes it promotes values and beliefs that are ultimately good for the rest of the world. Still, what are the future implications of American soft power? Will national identities decline as the world order is transformed into a state of "electronic feudalism" where there is no central power? Weapons of Mass Distraction provides an engaging, enlightening, and provocative look at the future of American foreign policy and popular culture in the 21st century.
Ship It Holla Ballas!: How a Bunch of 19-Year-Old College Dropouts Used the Internet to Become Poker's Loudest, Craziest, and Richest Crew
by Jonathan Grotenstein Storms RebackWho were the Ship It Holla Ballas? Arguably the most successful poker crew of all time, they took advantage of the online poker boom to win tens of millions of dollars before most of them were old enough to set foot inside a casino. Then they did what any red-blooded teenagers with mountains of cash and no responsibilities would do: They partied like rock stars, transforming themselves from Internet nerds with zero life skills into legends, at least in their own minds.In Ship It Holla Ballas!, Jonathan Grotenstein and Storms Reback trace the rise and fall of Internet poker through the eyes of its most unlikely stars: A group of teenage college dropouts, united by social media, who bluffed their way to the top of the game.
Samhain: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Halloween (Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials)
by LlewellynSamhain—also known as Halloween—is the final spoke in the Wheel of the Year. At this time, the harvest has finished and the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. This guide shows you how to practice the serious work of divination and honoring the dead along with the more lighthearted activities of Halloween.RitualsRecipesLoreSpellsDivinationCraftsCorrespondencesInvocationsPrayersMeditationsLlewellyn's Sabbat Essentials explore the old and new ways of celebrating the seasonal rites that are the cornerstones of the witch's year.
Innovative Fabric Imagery for Quilts: Must-Have Guide to Transforming & Printing Your Favorite Images on Fabric
by Lynn Koolish Cyndy Lyle RymerWarning! Creating Images on Fabric Can Be Addictive Includes 13 Quilt Projects & Exhibition Gallery • 13 innovative projects with step-by-step instructions and inspiring digital techniques • Getting-started chapter on equipment, supplies, printing on fabric, and image-editing software • Gallery of more than 40 entries selected for the Innovative Fabric Imagery special exhibit in Houston This book is filled with inspiration for fabric artists, from projects that show step by step how to make art quilts using your own photos and images, to galleries of stunning art made by some of today's most innovative quilters. Have fun creating artistic effects with image-editing software such as Photoshop® Elements and Kaleidoscope Kreator 2, then printing your images on fabric and turning them into fabulous quilts.
Dragon Magick: Call on the Clans to Help Your Practice Soar
by D.J. ConwayConnect with the Boundless Energy and Life-Changing Magick of DragonsDiscover how to work magick with the mighty dragon clans in this powerful book from bestselling author and dragon expert D. J. Conway. Perfect for beginners and experienced dragon handlers alike, this impressive guide first covers the basics of dragons and magick, and then provides comprehensive information about the thirty-three clans.Explore each dragon's personality, coloring, eye traits, and claw, wing, and scale shape. Learn about the clans' different communication styles and how they approach honor, respect, and more. Build a personal connection with your guardian dragon through meditations and spells. This marvelous book opens the door to the world of dragons and allows you to soar with them to new heights of magick.
Spellcasting: Beyond the Basics
by Michael FurieYou've got the basics of spellcasting down—now take your magical practice to a higher level. Discover how to add potency to your protective and defensive magic, healing work, psychic development, and divination. Cast successful spells for love and money. Add lesser-known workings to your repertoire, such as sending out etheric tendrils, creating a nocturnal servitor, and ethically practicing weather magic. With convenient "at-a-glance" correspondences and recipes for potions, incense, and oils, Spellcasting offers practical tips and techniques that will forever improve your magical workings:Love magicFamiliarsRemote viewingScrying mirrorsMerging with the elementsDivinationPsychic developmentWeather magicHealingDefensive magicAstrological influencesProtectionMeditationAltered statesAllies and helpersMoney magicPraise:"A comprehensive yet readily digested review of magical theory and practice, together with some very useful recipes and rituals."—Raymond Buckland, author of Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
A Lantern in The Dark: Navigate Life's Crossroads with Story, Ritual & Sacred Astrology
by Danielle BlackwoodMeditations, Stories & Rituals for Life's CrossroadsAll too often, when we find ourselves at a crossroads, the conventional ways of understanding where we are can fall short of the mark. Intuitively, we know we need something more. Sacred astrology teaches that there are several distinct rites of passage that can show up as a psychospiritual crisis characterized by intense challenge and confusion. We are betwixt and between—no longer who we used to be, but not yet who we are becoming. However, these powerful thresholds are where the real magic of our lives happens. They usually coincide with significant turning points that lead us toward our life's unique purpose.Learn how myth, folklore and story can be a source of guidance in difficult times. Illuminate the archetypal dimensions of your own story and re-enchant your life. Learn when to expect the crossroad times throughout your life so you can make peace with the past, navigate the present, and create a more purposeful future. Discover the keys to self realization and step into alignment with who you’re becoming. Create a self-care tool kit for the distinct issues that arise with each crossroads, and get clear about what you're calling in. Unlock new levels of self awareness through ritual, guided meditation, and journal reflections crafted specifically for each threshold. You will also learn how to support family, friends, coworkers, and clients who are going through difficult times with a transpersonal understanding of where they are and what they're going through.Having insight into what time it is in your life can be a lantern in the dark.
The Secret of Letting Go
by Guy FinleyWith more than two million copies of all of his books in print, Guy Finley's message of self-liberation has touched people around the world. Discover how to extinguish self-defeating thoughts and habits that undermine true happiness. Exploring relationships, depression, and stress, his inspiring words can help you let go of debilitating anxiety, unnecessary anger, paralyzing guilt, and painful heartache. True stories, revealing dialogues, and thought-provoking questions will guide you toward the endless source of inner strength and emotional freedom that resides within us all.Praise: "There is something profoundly healing in the way Guy Finley talks to us, as if he understands what we have gone through and what we are now capable of."—Hugh Prather, author of Notes to Myself"Guy Finley is one of the most respected people in self-development because he guides the seeker's soul with common sense, humor, and ultimate spirituality."—Linda Mackenzie, general manager, Healthylife.net"Guy Finley's insights are an absolute goldmine of true wisdom...he is simply one of the best at describing the inner game and awakening to a higher level of self."—Karen King, co-founder, InnerHealingCompass.com
Qabalah for Wiccans: Ceremonial Magic on the Pagan Path
by Jack ChanekExplore the Tree of Life from a Pagan Point of ViewYou don't have to shy away from Qabalah anymore—this book makes it easy to use ceremonial magic and incorporate its symbolism into your Wiccan rituals and workings. Join Jack Chanek on an exploration of Hermetic Qabalah and learn how its concepts can be interwoven with the essential elements of Wicca.Featuring an abundance of journal prompts, exercises, and correspondences, Qabalah for Wiccans is the ideal resource for understanding Qabalah as a Pagan practitioner. You'll uncover Qabalistic connections to Wiccan theology, ascend the Tree of Life through meditation and ritual, and explore the Tree's ten Sephiroth using the four elements, tarot, and more. Revealing many similarities between the two practices, this remarkable book shows you how Qabalah works and why it matters to your Wiccan path.Includes a foreword by Deborah Lipp, author of Magical Power for Beginners
Invoke the Goddess: Connecting to the Hindu, Greek & Egyptian Deities
by Kala TrobeExperience Love, Healing, and Personal Empowerment by Working with Hindu, Greek, and Egyptian GoddessesThis magical book is specially designed to help you access and interact with deities who can provide blessings, insight, and enhancements to your quality of life. Looking for love? Aphrodite will assist you. Need a magickal boost? Isis will show you the way. Lacking inspiration? Saraswati will set your creativity flying. You'll work with a variety of goddesses, including:Kali • Lakshmi • Radha • Sekhmet • Artemis • Persephone • Hecate • Iris • Ma'at • Hathor • And OthersNewly revised and expanded with never-before-published material, Invoke the Goddess explores the symbolism of fifteen female manifestations of the Divine and offers guided visualizations that will show you how to connect with the Goddess's power. You'll also discover tips on cleansing your chakras, ritual bathing, and practicing chants and mantras. This remarkable book makes it easy to find the perfect deity you need for enhancing your life and relationship with the Goddess.
Elves, Witches & Gods: Spinning Old Heathen Magic in the Modern Day
by Cat HeathWeave the Threads of Ancient Heathen Magic into Your LifeJourney into the fascinating depths of Heathenry with this tremendous source of history, inspiration, and practical information. Based on decades of research and experimentation, Elves, Witches & Gods provides explanations and hands-on techniques for galdr, seidr, fiber magic, herb craft, journeying, going under the cloak, and connecting with deities and elves.Working with authentic source material, Cat Heath has carefully pieced together and recreated Heathen magic techniques, and she shares the theories, skills, and tools you need to begin or deepen your own practice. This book introduces you to deities such as the Spinning Goddess, the Spear God, Odin, and Ingvi-Freyr. You will discover recipes, spells, and prayers, as well as learn how to work with specific oils and charms. Whether you are interested in using magic to influence your fate or you want to take a deep dive into the craft of the helrune and the völva, this book's guidance will help you take the next steps on the Heathen path.Includes a foreword by Patricia M. LaFayllve, author of A Practical Heathen's Guide to Asatru
Anodea Judith's Chakra Yoga
by Anodea JudithAs the architecture of the soul, the chakra system is the yoke of yoga—the means whereby mind and body, heaven and earth, and spirit and matter are joined together in the divine union that is the true meaning of yoga.In this long-awaited book by acclaimed chakra expert Anodea Judith, you will learn how to use yoga's principles and practices to awaken the subtle body of energy and connect with your highest source. Using seven vital keys to unlock your inner temple, you will be guided through practices that open and activate each chakra through postures, bioenergetic exercises, breathing practices, mantras, guided meditation, and yoga philosophy. With beautiful step-by-step photographs for each of the poses, along with guidelines for deeper alignment and activation of the energy body, this book is a valuable resource for teachers and students alike.Praise:"Anodea Judith's Chakra Yoga is a wonderful companion to her decades of books and teachings. Providing exploration through yogic methods for liberating, transforming, and balancing our energetic body and life, it is a gift to the world."—Shiva Rea, founder of Prana Vinyasa and author of Tending the Heart Fire"For decades, I have been waiting, wishing, longing for such a book as Anodea Judith's Chakra Yoga. As always with Anodea, the book is exquisitely presented, deep, practical, inspiring, easy to follow, contemporary. A MUST HAVE. Enjoy the ride!"—Margot Anand, author of The Art of Everyday Ecstasy