5/22/2023 0 Comments Der Tempel by Stephen Spender![]() ![]() Here are the experiences of a twenty-year-old Oxford poet on vacation in Hamburg, who then travels down the Rhine with two companions. Vividly present along with the protagonist, and not much disguised, are the two other members of the famous triumvirate Auden-Spender-Isherwood. It is, as one might expect, and autobiographical novel. ![]() He then rewrote it in part, taking care not to diminish its ardent youthfulness, its innocence and cynicism, in the immediacy of its view of the last days of Weimar Germany, on the eve of Hitler's rise to power. Stephen Spender immediately obtained a copy of his old draft manuscript – admired in the early thirties by his London publisher, but remaining unpublished because of the sensitivity of the contents and fear of libel actions – and read it with astonished pleasure. Not long ago, a friend just returned from America told the author that he had read in the Spender manuscript collection of the University of Texas a novel called The Temple and dated 1929. The story behind this novel by one of twentieth-century Britain's greatest poets and men of letters is nearly as remarkable as the book itself. ![]()
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5/22/2023 0 Comments An absolutely remarkable thing 2![]() ![]() Seizing the opportunity to make her mark on the world, April now has to deal with the consequences her new particular brand of fame has on her relationships, her safety, and her own identity. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world-from Beijing to Buenos Aires-and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight. The next day, April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship-like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor-April and her best friend, Andy, make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. Roaming through New York City at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. ![]() In his wildly entertaining debut novel, Hank Green -cocreator of Crash Course, Vlogbrothers, and SciShow -spins a sweeping, cinematic tale about a young woman who becomes an overnight celebrity before realizing she's part of something bigger, and stranger, than anyone could have possibly imagined. But beneath its effervescent tone, more complex themes are at play.” -San Francisco Chronicle ![]() “Sparkling with mystery, humor and the uncanny, this is a fun read. Synopsis: THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ![]() 5/22/2023 0 Comments Horrible terrible no good day book![]() ![]() Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is the book children need help them understand the downside of things in a positive way. Through the story of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day children learn that everyone has a bad day, but when looked at closely things might not seem so bad after all. However, in the end Alexander finds comfort in the words from his mother when she explains that some days are just bad days … even in Australia. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV This handsome new edition of Judith Viorsts classic picture book is sure to charm. As the story goes on Alexander discovers that things don’t get immediately better, unlike most children’s story. In Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst uses a more realistic view of problems children face, and that fact draws children in. ![]() ![]() Particularly funny to the children I’ve read this story to is the phrase that Alexander repeats to himself when things go south … “I think I’ll move to Australia”. Children will love the mishaps David finds himself in as well as his struggles with his older siblings. From the moment Alexander wakes up and finds gum in his hair he knows it is going to be a bad day, and he is correct. The book tells the story of a young boy named Alexander and his bad day that is filled with one crisis after another. ![]() Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst is a wonderful children’s book that can be enjoyed by all ages. ![]() 5/22/2023 0 Comments Al capone alcatraz book![]() ![]() However, the tough lesson he has to learn is that he can’t please everyone all the time, and that attempting to has dire consequences. ![]() In addition, there’s more middle school awkwardness, and a bit of a romance as well. It is an interesting journey for Moose as he figures out that trying to handle things on his own doesn’t always work. There’s a lot of lying and covering up of the truth, not to mention sneaking around, in this book, which makes things more than slightly uncomfortable. It’s with Moose’s choice to get Al Capone to help Natalie get into her school. The main source of conflict in this story isn’t with Natalie and her disability, however. ![]() The book picks up right where the first left off: Natalie is off to her special school Moose is still trying to figure out interpersonal relationships, especially between his on-island friends and off-island friends, not to mention what to do with girls there’s tension between the convicts and the guards and their families. It’s just that this one is missing the novelty, the endearing charm, that made the first book so enjoyable to read. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy reading it Choldenko still captures the mid-1930s very well, and the characters are still just as interesting as before. Perhaps it’s just been too long since I read Al Capone Does My Shirts, because I just didn’t find this one nearly as charming as I did that one. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Currie has taught sociology and criminology at Yale University and the University of California at Berkeley. Cogent, compelling, and grounded in years of original research, this newly revised edition of Crime and Punishment in America will continue to frame the way we think about imprisonment for years to come. Elliott Currie is the author of Confronting Crime, hailed as 'original and incisive, the only realistic hope in years' ( The New York Times ), Reckoning, and the coauthor of the classic text Crisis in American Institutions. In this groundbreaking and revelatory work, renowned criminologist Elliott Currie offers a vivid critique of our nation's prison policies and turns his penetrating eye toward recent developments in criminal justice, showing us the path to a more peaceable and just society. Today, there are several hundred thousand more inmates in the penal system, yet violence remains endemic in many American communities. When Crime and Punishment in America was first published in 1998, the national incarceration rate had doubled in just over a decade, and yet the United States remained-by an overwhelming margin-the most violent industrialized society in the world. "Earnest, free of jargon, lucid.This is a book that ought to be read by anyone concerned about crime and punishment in America."-The Washington Post Book World ![]() 5/21/2023 0 Comments Anarchy evolution by greg graffin![]() Despite the demands of global tours, recording sessions, and dedication to songwriting, the author also balanced a budding academic career. All these activities took place in parallel with Graffin's never ceasing quest for intellectual enlightenment. Swept up into the burgeoning punk scene in the exhilarating and often-violent streets of Los Angeles, Graffin and his friends formed Bad Religion, built a fanbase, and became a touring institution. The book begins by exploring Graffin's Midwestern roots and his life-changing move to Southern California in the mid-'70s. punk's early years, detailing his observations on the genre's explosive growth and his band's steady rise in importance. ![]() Punk Paradox is Graffin's life narrative before and during L.A. Greg Graffin is the lead vocalist and songwriter of Bad Religion, recently described as "America's most significant punk band." Since its inception in Los Angeles in 1980, Bad Religion has produced 18 studio albums, become a long-running global touring powerhouse, and has established a durable legacy as one of the most influential punk rock bands of all time. ![]() ![]() A historical memoir and cultural criticism of punk rock's evolution, by the legendary singer-songwriter of Bad Religion ![]() 5/21/2023 0 Comments Unspoken by Francine Rivers![]() She used to write obituaries and several stories relate to the interest of humans. ![]() After completing her graduation, Francine began working as a newspaper reporter. Keeping that in mind, she got herself admitted in the University of Nevada in Reno and graduated from there with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the subjects of Journalism and English. She had the dream of becoming a published author right from her childhood days. Francine was born to a police officer father, while her mother was a nurse. One of the other novels written by her, The Lat Sin Eater has been adapted into a feature film. ![]() Francine is best known for writing the inspirational novel Redeeming Love. It was in the year 1986 that she started writing Christian fiction novels. She was born in the year 1947 in the United States and used to write her novels on the historical romance theme in the beginning. ![]() Francine Rivers is one of the New York Times Bestselling authors from America who has written several successful novel series’ based on the Romance, Historical and Christian Fiction genres. ![]() 5/21/2023 0 Comments Breakout by kate messner audiobook![]() “Narrated by all three girls through letters, recorded conversations, and texts, this is an effective, authentically wrought look at how fear and ignorance can lead people to treat those of different races or from different places with suspicion…. Told in letters, poems, text messages, news stories, and comics–a series of documents Nora collects for the Wolf Creek Community Time Capsule Project–Breakout is a thrilling story that will leave readers thinking about who’s really welcome in the places we call home. Even if the inmates are caught, she worries that home might never feel the same. Worst of all, everyone is on edge, and fear brings out the worst in some people Nora has known her whole life. Doors are locked, helicopters fly over the woods, and police patrol the school grounds. But when two inmates break out of the town’s maximum security prison, everything changes. ![]() ![]() Nora Tucker is looking forward to summer vacation in Wolf Creek–two months of swimming, popsicles, and brushing up on her journalism skills for the school paper. Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books (June 5, 2018). ![]() ![]() Now the decorated soldier is willing to get his hands dirty, but will he be a match for the forces trying to keep them apart? ![]() Back then, Tom wasn’t ready to fight for them. Twenty-five years haven’t dimmed the candle Will holds for Tom, and when they meet again, he has a chance to put things right. He has more money than he knows what to do with, but he’s fast running out of soul. His job is to make sure they don’t slip free. He litigates for the gods as they gamble with the lives of those desperate enough to make deals. Tired of being looked down upon for being poor, Will became a lawyer-but not just any lawyer. He knew the romance had an expiration date and would end when Tom joined the Army, but that didn’t stop Will from falling in love. ![]() For Will McLeod, that meant Tom, his first male lover. The summer between the end of school and the start of what came next was full of sun, surf, and sex. To save his soul, he’ll have to fix his one regret-the love that got away. ![]() ![]() ![]() She is humble, honest, sincere, courageous, unselfish, romantic, independent and I could go on. Keturah is the soul of this book and she is truly an inspiring character. In addition, it is a well written and crafted story. Set in a small town in Europe during the Middle Ages, the characters speak with an Old English tone yet the writing is still very modern. Keturah and Lord Death is a stunningly rich tale with the feel of a classic fairy tale. In this day, she must find her true love in order to be free. ![]() She promises to tell him the ending if he gives her another day to live. ![]() To escape death temporarily, Keturah tells Lord Death a story but does not tell him the ending. He asked her to be his bride and Keturah refuses. After being lost in the forest for three days, Lord Death comes to her in the form of a man. The hart eludes her as she follows him deeper and deeper into the forest, until she eventually realizes she is lost. One day, she follows the prized hart into the woods hoping to collect more details for her stories. The beautiful cover was different and the description was unlike any other book I’ve ever read. Despite the title, I felt myself being drawn to read this unique book by some unseen force. “That’s a strange title,” were my first thoughts when I came across Keturah and Lord Death. ![]() |