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The Land, the Seed and the Blessing: A Chronological Biblical Compendium
by William T. KumpA profoundly detailed and comprehensive handbook that brings order and clarity to the many stories of the Bible. The Land, the Seed and the Blessing is a unique and comprehensive handbook to the Bible that lays out the events of the Bible in chronological order and details where they occurred. Its unique organization reveals the many stories of the Bible as if it were a sprawling, page-turning historic novel. The clarity of Kump&’s Herculean efforts serves to deepen one&’s relationship to the Bible, faith, and God. The Land, the Seed and the Blessing is perfect for the average pew sitter who cannot put it all together; the young parent-inquirer who is somewhat intimidated about church and Bible; students in a college level semester Bible course; and preachers who want to do the Bible in 48 sermons of 20 to 50 minutes each.
Murder & Mayhem in Central Massachusetts (True Crime Ser.)
by Rachel Faugno&“A chilling chronicle of local true-life murders that reach back into the long-forgotten seamy history of Worcester County&” (Vitality Magazine). The bucolic image of central Massachusetts belies a dark and sometimes deadly past. Grisly crimes and grim misdeeds reach back to colonial settlement in Worcester County, from an escaped slave hanged for rape in 1768 at the Worcester jail to the Sutton choir singer convicted of drowning his wife in 1935. Henry Hammond&’s 1899 suicide and the others that followed shook Spencer residents to their cores. Some crimes still grip the imaginations of residents, while others have faded from collective memory. Author Rachel Faugno investigates this sinister history. Includes photos!
Change: Changing for the Better in You
by Travis Angry Wendie Davis-GrauerIn a &“brutally honest&” memoir, a motivational speaker, military veteran, and cancer survivor reveals how hope can bring about positive change (Ernie Johnson, Jr., sportscaster TNT/TBS). Change: If I Can, You Can is the story of a man destined for as much turmoil as life can provide. Travis Angry created his identity through childhood rebellion, dropping out of school, being in the military, fighting cancer, marrying, divorcing, raising children as a single father, obtaining a college degree, writing a memoir, and working as a professional speaker. Angry&’s gift is showing others how to resolve fear. His mission is to help teenagers, parents, teachers, coaches, and youth group directors to understand their lives and use hope as a tool for positive change. &“Travis&’ story will make you want to scream and shout. His perseverance and strength is truly inspiring! He is making a positive impact within his family and community. He is truly making a difference one page at a time.&” —Jordin Sparks, singer/actress
Revenge: A Fable
by Taslima NasrinFrom the exiled Bangladeshi poet and internationally acclaimed author of Shame comes a delicious tale about getting even. In modern Bangladesh, Jhumur marries for love and imagines life with her husband, Haroon, will continue just as it did when they were dating. But once she crosses the threshold of Haroon&’s lavish family home, Jhumur is expected to play the role of a traditional Muslim wife: head covered, eyes averted, and unable to leave the house without an escort. When she becomes pregnant, Jhumur is shocked to discover that Haroon does not believe the baby is his, demanding an immediate termination of the pregnancy. Overwhelmed by his distrust, Jhumur plots her payback in the arms of a handsome and artistic neighbor. Readers the world over will eat up this cautionary tale of love, lust, and blood ties, delivered by the award-winning &“voice of humanism everywhere&” (Wole Soyinka).
Storm in the Village: A Novel (The Beloved Fairacre Series #3)
by Miss ReadBig changes are afoot in a small English village— &“If you&’ve ever enjoyed a visit to Mitford, you&’ll relish a visit to Fairacre&” (Jan Karon, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of To Be Where You Are). Trouble brews in the tiny country village of Fairacre, when it is discovered that Farmer Miller&’s Hundred Acre Field is slated for real estate development. Alarming rumors are circulating, among them the fear that the village school may close. The endearing schoolmistress Miss Read brings her inimitable blend of affection and clear-sighted candor to this report, in which a young girl finds her first love, an older woman accepts a new role in life, and the impassioned battle to save the village from being engulfed is at the forefront of every villager&’s mind. &“Wise, ironic, kindly, full of atmosphere and characters, rural charm, broad dialects, and the impishness of children.&” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch &“Affectionate, humorous, and gently charming . . . Sometimes funny, sometimes touching, always appealing.&” —The New York Times
Summer at Fairacre: A Novel (The Beloved Fairacre Series #16)
by Miss Read&“For those who miss the Waltons, or who can&’t get enough of Jan Karon, Fairacre is an excellent place to visit&” (Publishers Weekly). After a long winter of red noses and wet mittens, summer is a welcome time for Miss Read and her downland village friends. Summer at Fairacre charmingly recounts this bright, bustling season and the problems and possibilities that unfold against the background of roses, skylarks, and bees. Joseph Coggs finds a temporary home in the schoolhouse while his mother is in the hospital. Miss Read&’s friend Amy mysteriously disappears. Perhaps most difficult of all, Mrs. Pringle, the grumpy school cleaner, is unable to work because the pain in her bad leg flares up. Still, the sounds of children playing and the fragrance of summertime flowers fill the air, as Miss Read shepherds her students and friends through the warm season. &“If you&’ve ever enjoyed a visit to Mitford, you&’ll relish a visit to Fairacre.&” —Jan Karon, #1 New York Times–bestselling author
To the End of June: The Intimate Life of American Foster Care
by Cris BeamA New York Times Notable Book that &“casts a searing eye on the labyrinth that is the American foster care system&” (NPR&’s On Point). Who are the children of foster care? What, as a country, do we owe them? Cris Beam, a foster mother herself, spent five years immersed in the world of foster care looking into these questions and tracing firsthand stories. The result is To the End of June, an unforgettable portrait that takes us deep inside the lives of foster children in their search for a stable, loving family. Beam shows us the intricacies of growing up in the system—the back-and-forth with agencies, the rootless shuffling between homes, the emotionally charged tug between foster and birth parents, the terrifying push out of foster care and into adulthood. Humanizing and challenging a broken system, To the End of June offers a tribute to resiliency and hope for real change. &“A triumph of narrative reporting and storytelling.&” —The New York Times &“[A] powerful . . . and refreshing read.&” —Chicago Tribune &“A sharp critique of foster-care policies and a searching exploration of the meaning of family.&” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) &“Heart-rending and tentatively hopeful.&” —Salon
The Forest Gods' Fight: A Novel (The Forest Gods Series #2)
by Alexandria HookTeenage gods and humans join forces to battle Lord Hades and his armies of the Underworld in this breathtaking fantasy sequel. In The Forest Gods&’ Fight, the riveting sequel to The Forest Gods&’ Reign, Athena, reincarnation of the Greek goddess of Wisdom and War, returns to her hometown from the corrupt Knowing camp, where believers in the myths live, after learning of personal attacks on her friends and fellow gods. Inconveniently, major problems await at her childhood home as well as in the gods&’ beloved forest, and as the Olympians&’ war with Hades reaches its climax, Athena is forced once again to confront the years-old prophecy head-on. But as the secret of the human hero Alec gnaws at her conscience, she pulls away from her friends just when they need her most. With the start of school only weeks away, time to win the war is dwindling, and the forest and its future have never before seemed so dark. Finally united with all the local mythical beings and the best Knowing Warriors, the gods are stronger than they&’ve ever been. Always a page ahead, however, Athena can&’t resist the chance to end the fight on her own, a decision that will ultimately end in either unquestionable victory or deadly destruction.
Masters of Mankind: Essays and Lectures, 1969-2013
by Noam ChomskyEssays that reflect the changing climate of the United States and the world from &“perhaps the most widely read voice on foreign policy on the planet&” (The New York Times Book Review). In this collection of essays from 1969 to 2013, many in book form for the first time, Noam Chomsky examines the nature of state power, from the ideologies driving the Cold War to the War on Terror, and reintroduces the moral and legal questions that all too often go unheeded. With unrelenting logic, he holds the arguments of empire up to critical examination and shatters the myths of those who protect the power and privilege of the few against the interests and needs of the many. A new introduction by Marcus Raskin contextualizes Chomsky&’s place among some of the most influential thinkers of modern history. Praise for Noam Chomsky and Masters of Mankind &“Considering that Chomsky&’s relevance has only grown with time, and that his positions prove less radical and more prescient as years pass, the timing of his new book release, The Masters of Mankind, a retrospective of lectures and essays stretching from 1969 to 2013, is perfect . . . There is more than enough profound, powerful material in this collection to impress any readers unfamiliar with Chomsky&’s intellectual agility.&” —The Daily Beast &“There is no living political writer who has more radically changed how more people think in more parts of the world about political issues.&” ―Glenn Greenwald, journalist and author &“A truth-teller on an epic scale. I salute him.&” —John Pilger, journalist, writer, and filmmaker
Rogue States: The Rule of Force in World Affairs (Chomsky Perspectives Ser. #No. 13)
by Noam ChomskyThe bestselling author and activist &“has delivered another impressive argument that the U.S. flouts international law when it finds it convenient to do so&” (Publishers Weekly). In this still-timely classic, Noam Chomsky argues that the real &“rogue&” states are the United States and its allies. Chomsky turns his penetrating gaze toward US involvement in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America to trace the enduring combined effects of military domination and economic imperialism on these regions. &“Noam Chomsky is like a medic attempting to cure a national epidemic of selective amnesia . . . [Rogue States is] a timely guide to the tactics that the powerful employ to keep power concentrated and people compliant . . . Chomsky&’s work is crucial at a time when our empire perpetually disguises its pursuit of power under the banners of &‘aid,&’ &‘humanitarian intervention,&’ and &‘globalization.&’ Americans have to begin deciphering the rhetoric. Chomsky&’s a good place to start.&” —The Village Voice &“World-famous MIT linguist Chomsky has long kept up a second career as a cogent voice of the hard left, excoriating American imperialism, critiquing blinkered journalists and attacking global economic injustice.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Nothing escapes [Chomsky&’s] attention . . . [Rogue States is] wonderfully lucid.&” —PeaceWork Praise for Noam Chomsky &“Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . perhaps the most widely read voice on foreign policy on the planet.&” —The New York Times Book Review &“The conscience of the American people.&” —New Statesman &“One of the radical heroes of our age . . . a towering intellect . . . powerful, always provocative.&” —The Guardian
The Success of Failure: A Coming-of-Age Fable About Overcoming Failure Despite Ourselves
by Mike BensiAn inspiring story to motivate anyone who wants to lead with confidence. Even leaders sometimes find that the thoughts and beliefs they have about themselves can hold them back from their day-to-day life. The Success of Failure tells the story of a young and growing leader finding his way in a promising new role at a growing tech company. When he is confronted with failure and conflict, he must struggle with the need for confidence within himself and with others. From a consultant who has helped numerous organizations meet their challenges and shape effective cultures, The Success of Failure provides a path to allow us all to pick ourselves back up and be stronger than before.
Gossip from Thrush Green: A Novel (The Beloved Thrush Green Series #6)
by Miss ReadTongues are wagging in this charming novel of English village life— &“If you&’ve ever enjoyed a visit to Mitford, you&’ll relish a visit to Thrush Green&” (Jan Karon, #1 New York Times–bestselling author). Gossip from Thrush Green returns readers to the delightful English village, neighbor to Fairacre, for a golden summer. But this sleepy, pristine setting conceals a flurry of activity amongst the villagers. Rumor has it that Mr. Venables is considering retirement just as the village&’s teacher is about to make an important decision. Molly Curdle prepares for a new baby. The kindly vicar, Charles Henstock, works on his sermon—quite unaware of the disaster that will overtake him. However, there is never any doubt that all will end well in this very English village. &“There is a special kind of English writer who writes deceptively simple evocations of English rural life. . . . It is not earth-shattering, but it reveals the fragility of even the most ordinary lives, the courage and stoicism with which people respond to adversity, their generosity in friendship and their gratitude for small pleasures.&” —The Washington Post &“Bid a joyful welcome to old friends and new . . . in their beloved . . . Thrush Green, the happy world to which Miss Read introduced us so many years ago.&” —Publishers Weekly
The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom
by Shari FrankeFrom eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog and the hidden abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, and how, in the face of unimaginable pain, she found freedom and healing. Shari Franke&’s childhood was a constant battle for survival. Her mother, Ruby Franke, enforced a severe moral code while maintaining a façade of a picture-perfect family for their wildly popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which documented the day-to-day life of raising six children for a staggering 2.5 million subscribers. But a darker truth lurked beneath the surface – Ruby&’s wholesome online persona masked a more tyrannical parenting style than anyone could have imagined. As the family&’s YouTube notoriety grew, so too did Ruby&’s delusions of righteousness. Fueled by the sadistic influence of relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt, together they implemented an inhumane and merciless disciplinary regime. Ruby and Jodi were arrested in Utah in 2023 on multiple charges of aggravated child abuse. On that fateful day, Shari shared a photo online of a police car outside their home. Her caption had one word: 'Finally'. For the first time, Shari will reveal the disturbing truth behind 8 Passengers and her family&’s devastating involvement with Jodi Hildebrandt&’s cultish life coaching program, 'ConneXions'. No stone is left unturned as Shari exposes the perils of influencer culture and shares for the first time her battle for truth and survival in the face of her mother&’s cruelty.
Exit Nowhere
by Juliana BrandtHaunted Mansion meets the ultimate escape room in this tense and twisty middle grade horror following four kids who must beat a series of games to make it out of a haunted house.The creepiest place in Barret Eloise&’s small town is the abandoned Raithfield Manor, a decrepit house surrounded by rumors of ghosts and kids going missing. So she certainly never planned on stepping foot inside. But when her history teacher gives her a group project to research a local landmark, the manor is the location her group chooses. Determined to ace the project and fix her awkward first impression on her assigned partners—which include her former friend Helena, smart and confident Wayne, and school basketball star Ridge—Barret Eloise isn&’t about to let some tall tales scare her off. When the kids first enter the house, it seems to be nothing more than an empty building. But when the sun goes down, the doors and windows lock, sealing them inside. Even worse, the room they&’re in transforms into an all-too-real game of The Floor is Lava. It doesn&’t take long for the group to realize the mansion is a maze of childhood games. Win the game and you keep moving forward, lose and you disappear. And complicating it all is a worrying revelation—they are not alone in the house. If Barret Eloise wants to make it home, she and her dysfunctional group are going to have to learn to work together quickly.
Bunny Lake Is Missing (Femmes Fatales)
by Evelyn PiperThe classic novel of suspense is &“a headlong story of nerve-wracking tension, psychological validity and emotional drive&” (Oakland Tribune). Blanche Lake is not like the other mothers who come to collect their children at the local nursery school on New York&’s Upper East Side. She lives alone, has a job, and has never been married. It&’s the first day of school when this story begins, and Blanche is eager to see how her daughter, Bunny, has fared away from home. But her expectant waiting becomes a mother&’s most dreaded nightmare: Bunny never materializes. Neither teachers nor students recall the small girl, and soon Blanche is engaged in a frantic search for any trace of her missing daughter. And the worst part is . . . no one believes her. In this fraught and at times freakish tale of suspense, Evelyn Piper takes us deep into the psyche of the 1950s to explore American fetishes, fallacies, and fears around motherhood and sexuality. Blanche emerges as a new kind of heroine—a hard-boiled mom with gun in hand, willing to take any risk to find her missing daughter. &“A classic thriller—a riveting revisit to the dark side of the fifties, where the tension beneath the calm surface has an undertow that drags the reader into its grip. Prime pulp—pure pleasure.&” —Linda Fairstein, author of The Bone Vault
The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band: More Than a Century of a New Orleans Icon (Music Ser.)
by Sally NewhartA lively look at the long career of these legendary musicians, from a Storyville dance hall to the White House and beyond. In 1910, the Tuxedo Jazz Band played its first show at the Tuxedo Dance Hall in Storyville under Oscar Celestin. The popular ensemble would go on to play all over New Orleans, as well as across the South and the nation—and in 1953, it became the first jazz band to play the White House. The band has punctuated jazz history and produced some of the most memorable musicians of the past century: Bob French, Albert French, William Ridgley, Octave Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and more. Author Sally Newhart has written a definitive and captivating history of the band from inception to present, including oral histories, archival photos, a discography, and a previously unpublished complete list of members since 1910.
Circle of Terror
by Larry PowaliszA female federal agent and Milwaukee PD join forces against domestic terrorists in a timely and explosive thriller. Ex-Marine Force Recon Officer and Milwaukee Police Detective, Declan Tomczyk, is dispatched to investigate the desecration of headstones at Holy Cross Cemetery. What first appears to be the work of vandals becomes something far more alarming. Tomczyk has come upon a trip wire connected to a crude homemade bomb. With it, an anonymous note threatening that &“the days of terror have returned&” . . . Murder by murder, the promises are being fulfilled. Enlisting the help of FBI Agent Anne Dvorak, Tomczyk is now tracking a series of violent crimes, eerily similar to those that paralyzed the state decades before. With the unlikely assistance of a former pro linebacker and a World War II veteran—each one a surprising conduit between the past and the present—Tomczyk and Dvorak are getting closer to the truth. But who is the ultimate target? And what&’s the inconceivable endgame for homegrown extremists determined to hold the city hostage? With time running out, and casualties running high, Tomczyk and Dvorak must risk their own lives for the answers.
Elegies for Uncanny Girls (Break Away Book Club Edition)
by Jennifer ColvilleThe ordinary and the extraordinary merge in the strange and complex lives of young women in this &“frequently luminous&” debut short story collection (Kirkus Reviews). Unsettling and perceptive, this debut story collection challenges our notion of American girlhood in all its delusions, conflicting messages, and treacherous terrain. Alternately wide-eyed, wise, and mysterious, the girls at the center of these stories leave their realities behind for curious new places where the barrier between real and unreal begins to blur. Still others hover over their Midwestern homes in interior worlds of their own creation. The stories in Elegies for Uncanny Girls take place at a boundary where both the girls&’ bodies and their narratives belong either to themselves or to the cultures that surround them. A young woman whose body continually shrinks and expands moves to Los Angeles to make a movie about tragic merpeople; bewildered and seeking guidance, a new mom strikes up a conversation with a woman with detachable hands; and spurred on by a new ally who might just be a figment of her imagination, a girl decides she can choose her own friends. &“Brisk, satisfying, and fiercely observant.&” —Publishers Weekly
Ebert's Bests (Chicago Shorts)
by Roger EbertA treasury of year-by-year ten-best lists, plus personal reminiscences by the man whose name became synonymous with the movies. In Ebert&’s Bests, the iconic Roger Ebert takes us through the journey of how he became a film critic, from his days at a student-run cinema club to his rise as a television commentator in At the Movies and Siskel & Ebert. Recounting the influence of the French New Wave; his friendships with Werner Herzog and Martin Scorsese; and travels to Sweden and Rome to visit Ingrid Bergman and Federico Fellini, Ebert never loses sight of film as a key component of our cultural identity. In considering the ethics of film criticism—why we should take all film seriously, without prejudgment or condescension—he argues that film critics ought always to engage in open-minded dialogue with a movie. All this is accompanied by decades&’ worth of annual ten-best lists, which showcase Roger Ebert&’s recommendations—while at the same time reminding us that hearts and minds, and even rankings, are bound to change.
The Atheist's Bible: The Most Dangerous Book That Never Existed
by Georges MinoisThis intellectual history of a rumored book of heresy reveals a persistent undercurrent of atheism from the Middle Ages into the 18th century. In 1239, Pope Gregory IX accused Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor, of heresy. Without disclosing evidence of any kind, Gregory announced that Frederick had written a supremely blasphemous book—De tribus impostoribus, or the Treatise of the Three Impostors—in which Frederick denounced Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad as impostors. Of course, Frederick denied the charge, and over the following centuries the story played out across Europe, with libertines, freethinkers, and other &“strong minds&” seeking a copy of the scandalous text. The fascination persisted until finally, in the eighteenth century, someone brought the purported work into actual existence—in not one but two versions, Latin and French. Although historians have debated the origins and influences of this most apocryphal book, there has not been a comprehensive biography of the Treatise of the Three Impostors. In The Atheist&’s Bible, historian Georges Minois tracks the course of the book from its origins in 1239 to its most salient episodes in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, introducing readers to the colorful individuals obsessed with possessing the legendary work—and the equally obsessive passion of those who wanted to punish people who sought it. Minois&’s compelling account sheds much-needed light on the power of atheism, the threat of blasphemy, and the persistence of free thought during a time when the outspoken risked being burned at the stake. &“[A] timely and elegant study…Readers who are intrigued or scandalized by the diatribes of Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens will discover in The Atheist&’s Bible that, as that other Bible says, there is nothing new under the sun.&”—Walter Stephens, author of Demon Lovers
Even If You Were Perfect, Someone Would Crucify You: Stop Trying to Please People. Start Pleasing God
by Rob Shepherd&“In short, digestible chapters Shepherd shares several truths every human needs to know . . . You&’ll enjoy reading and laughing your way through this book!&” (Terrace Crawford, nationally recognized speaker & author of Going Social). He should have seen it coming. Anonymous letters are rarely good. On the day after preaching a sermon at his church, Rob Shepherd opened a letter filled with hurtful words and a very strong opinion about how awful his sermon was. On his fourth reading of the letter, Rob heard a still small voice say, &“Even if you preached the perfect sermon somebody would crucify it.&” That thought began the process of setting Rob free from being a lifelong people pleaser. With humor, personal stories, and great conviction Rob shares his personal story of learning to care less about what people say and more about what God says. Even If You Were Perfect Somebody Would Crucify You uncovers what our real struggle is when it comes to pleasing people. You can be set free from the fear of saying no to people, win the battle with avoiding confrontation, learn the power of confession, and find your true identity in Jesus. &“This book will nail you in regards to cutting out the paralyzing noises of life and opinions of others. Be ready for a tugging at your heart to rest and rediscover your identity FULLY in Him.&” —Chad Johnson, director of the Catalyst Conference
Creative Change: Why We Resist It . . . How We Can Embrace It
by Jennifer Mueller&“This book completely changed the way I think about creative innovation. . . . A must read&” (Cal Newport, bestselling author of Deep Work). Business leaders say they want creativity and need real innovation in order to thrive. But according to startling research from management professor Jennifer Mueller, these same leaders chronically reject creative solutions, even as they profess commitment to innovation. Mueller&’s research reveals that it&’s not just CEOs but educators, parents, and other social trendsetters who struggle to accept new and creative ideas. Mueller parses the tough questions these findings raise. Do we all have an inherent prejudice against creative ideas? Can we learn to outsmart this bias? Creative Change combines analysis of the latest research with practical guidance on how to shift your mindset, and offers a wealth of counterintuitive recommendations to help you embrace the creative ideas you want. &“If we all crave creativity so much, why do we reject new ideas so often? Jen Mueller&’s smart new book unravels this puzzle.&” —Daniel H. Pink, New York Times–bestselling author of When and Drive &“Mueller, an accomplished scholar in the management field, has developed a well-formulated argument for creativity. Her ideas and research need to be available to academics, business practitioners, and, really, everyone.&” —Library Journal
Guerrilla Business Secrets: 58 Ways to Start, Build, and Sell Your Business
by Jay Conrad Levinson Steve SavageFrom a master salesperson and a revolutionary marketing strategist: A take-no-prisoners guide to making your small business dreams come true. Do you long to break out of the corporate rate race and run your own business? Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the bestselling Guerrilla Marketing series, and Steve Savage, management consultant and salesman extraordinaire, team up to show you how in this truly captivating guide. By learning from Steve&’s desolate disasters and tremendous triumphs, you will gain the knowledge you need to start and run a business—covering every facet from picking a hot product to navigating government bureaucracy to expanding overseas. Learn how Steve develops dazzling products, builds successful sales forces, and once took a company from zero to $60 million in six years. Guerrilla Business Secrets tells how hundreds of men and women trained by Steve were able to fulfill their dreams and stretch to the outer limits of their potential. &“I have never seen anyone who could organize a business, recruit a sales force, and motivate an entire company better than Steve Savage. He is a genuine business visionary.&” —Rod Turner, Senior Executive Vice President, Colgate Palmolive
One God, Two Voices: Life-Changing Lessons from the Classroom on the Issues Challenging Today's Families
by Deidre Hester Sue WhitedAn inspirational, faith-based guide to raising the next generation of leaders—based on the real-life experiences of two amazing educators. Hailing from the hills of West Virginia and the ghettos of New York City, two teachers—one an older Caucasian and the other a younger African American—somehow find each other in the halls of a middle school in Hampton, VA. Becoming the best of friends, Deidre Hester and Sue Whited join together to educate their eighth-grade students in curriculum and life. One God Two Voices comes from their hearts as they speak to teachers, parents, students, and the world at-large on diverse topics, such as the racial divide (from the O.J. Simpson trial to the tragic deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown), repeating history, &“acting white,&” and the reality of being a teacher while maintaining your integrity, sanity, and sense of humor. From the tragic shooting death of a student who had sung Boyz II Men&’s version of &“It&’s So Hard to Say Good-bye to Yesterday&” in the eighth-grade talent show to the guidelines for setting a model of leadership in the classroom, One God Two Voices weaves together the authors&’ unique and personal teaching experiences to create an inspirational tapestry of faith and education. In this updated version of their 2004 title For Such A Time As This . . . We Are But Small Voices, Hester and Whited make a difference for today—and the future.
The Blood of the Lamb: A Novel
by Peter De VriesThis autobiographical novel of family tragedy by the author of Slouching Towards Kalamazoo &“moves deftly from manic hilarity to manic fury, and back again&” (Newsday). The most poignant of Peter De Vries&’s novels, The Blood of the Lamb is also his most personal. It follows the life of Don Wanderhop from his childhood in an immigrant Calvinist family living in Chicago in the 1950s through the loss of a brother, his faith, his wife, and finally his daughter—a tragedy drawn directly from De Vries&’s own life. Despite its basis in personal tragedy, The Blood of the Lamb offers glimpses of the comic sensibility for which De Vries was famous. Written with a powerful blend of grief, love, wit, and fury, De Vries&’s &“sensitive treatment of the death of a beloved child it has scarcely a superior in contemporary fiction" (Chicago Tribune).