Download and Read Comic Books in PDF Format for Free with ClassComicsPDFPack
What is ClassComicsPDFPack?
If you are a fan of comic books, you might have heard of ClassComicsPDFPack. But what exactly is it and what does it offer? In this article, we will answer these questions and more.
A collection of comic books in PDF format
ClassComicsPDFPack is a collection of comic books that are available in PDF format. PDF stands for Portable Document Format, which is a file format that preserves the layout, fonts, images, and other elements of a document. PDF files can be viewed on any device that supports them, such as computers, tablets, smartphones, and e-readers.
The comic books in ClassComicsPDFPack are from various sources, such as online archives, websites, blogs, forums, and torrents. They cover a wide range of genres and themes, such as action, adventure, fantasy, horror, humor, romance, sci-fi, superhero, and more. Some of the comic books are classics that have been around for decades, while others are new and original creations by independent artists and writers.
The genres and themes of the comics
As mentioned above, ClassComicsPDFPack has something for everyone who loves comic books. Whether you prefer Marvel or DC, Asterix or Tintin, manga or webcomics, you will find something that suits your taste and interest. Here are some examples of the genres and themes of the comics in ClassComicsPDFPack:
Action: If you like thrilling stories with fast-paced plots, exciting scenes, and dynamic characters, you will enjoy comics like Batman & Spiderman, Ultimate Spiderman, Captain Marvel Adventures, or Street Fighter. These comics feature heroes and villains who engage in battles, chases, fights, and other forms of physical conflict.
Adventure: If you like exploring new worlds and experiencing different cultures, you will love comics like Asterix, Tintin, Lucky Luke, or My Neighbor Totoro. These comics follow the adventures of protagonists who travel to various places and encounter various challenges and opportunities.
Fantasy: If you like stories with magical elements and supernatural creatures, you will adore comics like Conan, Thor, Harry Potter, or Sonic the Hedgehog. These comics create imaginative settings and scenarios where anything is possible.
Horror: If you like stories that evoke fear and suspense, you will appreciate comics like Tales from the Crypt, The Walking Dead, Hellboy, or Ghost Comics. These comics use elements such as gore, violence, monsters, ghosts, zombies, vampires, werewolves, demons, and other forms of horror to scare and thrill the readers.
Humor: If you like stories that make you laugh and smile, you will enjoy comics like Garfield, Calvin & Hobbes, Dilbert, or Dennis The Menace. These comics use elements such as jokes, puns, irony, satire, parody, slapstick, and other forms of humor to entertain and amuse the readers.
Romance: If you like stories that focus on love and relationships, you will like comics like Archie, Barbie, Romeo & Juliet, or Is My Hobby Weird. These comics depict the romantic lives of characters who experience attraction, affection, passion, conflict, and resolution.
Sci-fi: If you like stories that deal with science and technology, you will admire comics like Star Wars, Star Trek, The Matrix, or Atomic War. These comics explore the effects and implications of scientific innovations and discoveries on society and individuals.
Superhero: If you like stories that feature characters with extraordinary abilities and powers, you will respect comics like Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, or The Avengers. These comics portray the heroic deeds and struggles of characters who use their superpowers to fight evil and injustice.
The sources and availability of the comics
The comic books in ClassComicsPDFPack are from various sources, as mentioned earlier. Some of them are free to download and read, while others may require a subscription or a payment. Some of them are legal and authorized, while others may be illegal and pirated. Some of them are easy to find and access, while others may be rare and obscure.
Therefore, before you download any comic book from ClassComicsPDFPack, you should do some research and check the following factors:
The origin and ownership of the comic book. Who created it and who owns it? Is it an original work or a derivative work? Is it licensed or unlicensed? Is it protected by copyright or in the public domain?
The quality and format of the comic book. How good is the resolution and clarity of the images and text? How accurate is the translation and transcription of the language? How compatible is the file format with your device and software?
The legality and ethics of the comic book. Is it legal to download and read it in your country or region? Is it ethical to download and read it without paying or supporting the creators? Is it safe to download and read it without exposing your device or data to viruses or malware?
By doing so, you can avoid potential problems and risks that may arise from downloading comic books from ClassComicsPDFPack.
Why should you download ClassComicsPDFPack?
Now that you know what ClassComicsPDFPack is, you may wonder why you should download it. What are the benefits of reading comic books in PDF format? What are the advantages of ClassComicsPDFPack over other sources of comic books? In this section, we will answer these questions and more.
The benefits of reading comic books
Reading comic books is not only fun but also beneficial for your mind and body. Here are some of the benefits of reading comic books:
They improve your literacy skills. Reading comic books can help you improve your vocabulary, grammar, spelling, punctuation, comprehension, inference, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and other literacy skills. Comic books use both words and images to convey meaning, which can enhance your verbal and visual literacy.
They stimulate your imagination. Reading comic books can help you stimulate your imagination and creativity. Comic books present stories that are often fantastical, imaginative, and creative. They challenge you to suspend your disbelief and immerse yourself in different worlds and scenarios. They also inspire you to create your own stories and characters.
They enhance your cognitive abilities. Reading comic books can help you enhance your cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, concentration, logic, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, and other mental processes. Comic books require you to follow complex plots, remember details, pay attention to clues, infer meanings, solve puzzles, make choices, evaluate outcomes, and other cognitive tasks.
A device that can open and view PDF files, such as a computer, tablet, smartphone, or e-reader. You can use any device that supports PDF files, but we recommend using a device with a large screen and high resolution for the best reading experience.
A software that can open and view PDF files, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free to download and use. You can use any software that supports PDF files, but we recommend using Adobe Acrobat Reader because it has many features and functions that enhance the functionality and usability of PDF files.
A stable and fast internet connection. You need a reliable and speedy internet connection to download the comic books from ClassComicsPDFPack. The download speed and time will depend on the size of the comic book file and the quality of your internet connection.
In addition to these requirements, you also need to take some precautions before you download ClassComicsPDFPack:
Check the legality and ethics of downloading comic books from ClassComicsPDFPack in your country or region. As we mentioned earlier, some of the comic books in ClassComicsPDFPack may be illegal or unethical to download without paying or supporting the creators. You should respect the intellectual property rights and moral rights of the creators and publishers of the comic books. You should also avoid downloading comic books that contain illegal or harmful content, such as child pornography, hate speech, or malware.
Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to hide your IP address and encrypt your internet traffic. As we mentioned earlier, when you download a torrent file, your IP address is public to anyone else sharing that torrent. This exposes you to potential risks such as being tracked by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or other third parties, being targeted by hackers or cybercriminals, or being blocked by firewalls or censorship. A VPN can help you avoid these risks by masking your IP address and routing your internet traffic through a secure and anonymous server. This way, you can download comic books from ClassComicsPDFPack without being detected or attacked. There are many VPN services available online, but we recommend using a reputable and reliable one like ExpressVPN, which offers fast speeds, strong encryption, a kill switch feature, a strict no-logs policy, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The steps and options for downloading
After you have met the requirements and taken the precautions for downloading ClassComicsPDFPack, you can follow these steps to download the comic books you want:
Visit the ClassComicsPDFPack website and browse or search for the comic book you want to download. You can use the filters and categories to narrow down your choices, or use the search bar to enter keywords or titles.
Click on the comic book you want to download and read the description, reviews, and comments. Make sure that the comic book is what you are looking for and that it has good ratings and feedback from other users.
Click on the Download button and choose the file format you want. ClassComicsPDFPack offers two file formats for its comic books: PDF and CBR. PDF is the default format and is compatible with most devices and software. CBR is a compressed format that requires a special software to open and view, such as CDisplayEx or ComicRack. CBR files are usually smaller than PDF files, but may have lower quality or compatibility.
Click on the torrent link or magnet link to start downloading the comic book. A torrent link is a file that contains information about the comic book file and its location on the network. A magnet link is a URL that contains the same information as a torrent link, but without requiring a separate file. Both links will open your torrent client software and start downloading the comic book file from other users who are seeding it.
Wait for the download to finish and check the file for errors or viruses. Depending on the size of the comic book file and the speed of your internet connection, the download may take a few minutes or hours. You can monitor the progress of the download in your torrent client software. Once the download is complete, you can scan the file with your antivirus software to make sure it is safe and clean.
Open and enjoy your comic book. You can use any software that can open PDF files, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, to view your comic book. If you downloaded a CBR file, you will need a special software like CDisplayEx or ComicRack to view it. You can also transfer your comic book file to another device, such as a tablet or e-reader, for a better reading experience.
The tips and tricks for enjoying ClassComicsPDFPack
To make the most out of ClassComicsPDFPack, here are some tips and tricks that you can use:
Seed your comic books after downloading them. Seeding means sharing your comic book file with other users who are downloading it. This helps keep the network alive and healthy, and ensures that more comic books are available for everyone. You can seed your comic books by leaving your torrent client software running after your download is complete.
Leave feedback and comments on the comic books you download. This helps other users decide whether to download a comic book or not, and also shows appreciation to the creators and uploaders of the comic books. You can leave feedback and comments on the ClassComicsPDFPack website or on your torrent client software.
Explore new genres and themes of comic books. ClassComicsPDFPack has a huge variety of comic books from different genres and themes, so you can always find something new and interesting to read. You can also discover new artists and writers who create original and innovative comic books.
Join online communities of comic book fans. There are many online forums, blogs, websites, podcasts, and social media groups dedicated to comic books and their fans. You can join these communities to share your opinions, recommendations, reviews, questions, answers, fan art, fan fiction, and more about comic books.
In conclusion, ClassComicsPDFPack is a great source of comic books in PDF format that you can download and enjoy on any device. It has many benefits such as preserving the original layout and content of the comic books, supporting various media and features, being compressed and compact, being secure and reliable, being compatible and flexible. It also offers a high-quality collection of comic books that are carefully selected and curated from various genres and themes, as well as from different sources and origins. You can download ClassComicsPDFPack by following the steps and options we provided, and also use the tips and tricks we suggested to make the most out of it.
If you are a fan of comic books, or if you want to try something new and exciting, we highly recommend you to download ClassComicsPDFPack and start reading some of the best comic books ever created. You will not regret it!
FAQs about ClassComicsPDFPack
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about ClassComicsPDFPack:
Is ClassComicsPDFPack free? Yes, ClassComicsPDFPack is free to download and use. However, some of the comic books in ClassComicsPDFPack may require a subscription or a payment to access them legally and ethically. You should always respect the intellectual property rights and moral rights of the creators and publishers of the comic books.
Is ClassComicsPDFPack safe? Yes, ClassComicsPDFPack is safe to download and use, as long as you take some precautions such as checking the legality and ethics of downloading comic books from ClassComicsPDFPack in your country or region, using a VPN to hide your IP address and encrypt your internet traffic, and scanning the comic book files for errors or viruses.
Is ClassComicsPDFPack legal? It depends on the comic book you are downloading and the country or region you are in. Some of the comic books in ClassComicsPDFPack may be legal or illegal to download without paying or supporting the creators. You should always check the origin and ownership of the comic book, as well as the laws and regulations of your country or region, before downloading it.
How often is ClassComicsPDFPack updated? ClassComicsPDFPack is updated regularly with new comic books from various sources and origins. You can always find something new and fresh to read on ClassComicsPDFPack. You can also request or suggest comic books that you want to see on ClassComicsPDFPack by contacting the website administrators or leaving a comment on the website.
How can I support ClassComicsPDFPack? You can support ClassComicsPDFPack by seeding your comic books after downloading them, leaving feedback and comments on the comic books you download, exploring new genres and themes of comic books, joining online communities of comic book fans, and donating to the website if possible.


Grieving Children and Siblings
- Helping Your Other Children
- Explains how parents should be open, sharing their grief, rather than protecting their children from the sadness. Offers advice on what to say and when to say it.
- The Raindrops
- A cartoon-style story that provides a unique way to explain death to children of all ages.
- The Waterbug Story
- A story that explains death is merely a way to move into a wonderful new world.
- How to Help Siblings Grieve
- Phenomenal article from Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death's (MEND) newsletter, sharing her experience with helping her young son grieve his stillborn brother's death.
- How to Help a Grieving Child
- Wonderful resource on what to say and how to help a grieving child. Discusses what to and not to say when offering an explanation.
- Children's Grief
- An excerpt from a professional paper that points out several thoughts children often think and feel following a loss. Also explains how to help children cope with death.
- Am I Still a Big Sister or Brother?
- An article about the grief of children, written by Joanne Cacciatore.
- Ian's Concerns: From a Child's Point of View
- The author reveals her 8 year-old nephew's concerns and freights when she lost her baby. Invaluable insight into the mind of a grieving child.


Version 1.1.0 released
Created on Tuesday, 06 July 2010 23:00
GIMIAS 1.1.0 is released.
This release is open source under BSD License.
GIMIAS can be downloaded directly from the download section of GIMIAS website.
In the download area you will find the following material available:
- GIMIAS Installer for Windows 32 bit and Windows 64 bit, and a new experimental release in Linux!!
- User Manual that describes GIMIAS features, the framework, and how to download and build GIMIAS to create your plugin.
- New features document, with description of the new features included in the release.
- Access to source of the stable version. For first time the code of GIMIAS it has SVN anonymous access.
- Doxygen documentation
- Csnake and StarNewModule utilities.
- There is also available sample data from the download section to test the application.
Some of the new features in this release includes (videos available on Youtube):
- Multi view
- Signal viewer
- Workflow manager
- Manual segmentation tool
- CGNS writer and improved reader
If you find bugs using GIMIAS please report it in Mantis:
You can also send your comments to the GIMIAS mailing list:


The Triangle Fire – One Hundred Years Later
Anniversaries of older, tragic events are usually the only time those events play into the public consciousness. Other than that, they are rarely thought about, discussed or even remembered.
This week a vast amount of attention has been devoted by newspapers, PBS, HBO and news stations in New York that are marking the 100th anniversary of The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in which 146 people, mostly young immigrant girls, perished.
The details of the March 25th, 1911 conflagration which are summed up best by Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations School web site are heartbreaking. Many of these girls who died on that Saturday, were under 25 years of age and in many cases helping to support their families at home in their new adopted country or sending money back to relatives in Italy, Russia and Poland.
The fire ended up changing labor laws in the United States. In one of the best books of its kind, labor historian Leon Stein wrote The Triangle Fire (1962) J.B. Lippincott & Co.. Stein had the advantage of being able to interview many survivors and witnesses of the fire. His book is a riveting account. I highly recommend it.
A most interesting side note is that there were unknowns who could not be identified and were never claimed by any family member from the city morgue and were buried in a mass grave at The Cemetery of the Evergreens in Brooklyn. Almost 400,000 spectators lined the route of the funeral procession in New York City in a driving rain on April 5 1911.
Recently researcher Michael Hirsch identified the remaining six unknown victims. The related story in a New York Times article is a fascinating study, explaining how one man’s dogged persistence solved a 100 year old mystery.
Two years ago I had asked two of the most sensitive, dedicated workers at the Evergreens Cemetery, assistant superintendent Anthony Salamone and cemetery worker and historian Donato Daddario, with DNA technology, could the unknown victims be identified? They replied that it might be possible, but there was no reason to do it and the cemetery did not have the authority to undertake identification. Also what difference would it make 98 years later? Apparently it does make a difference.
Here are some photos from that day and the aftermath. (click to resize)


If you're interested in baseball — writing about it, reading about it, talking about it — there's a place for you in the Society for American Baseball Research. Our members include everyone from academics to professional sportswriters to amateur historians and statisticians to students and casual fans who enjoy reading about baseball and occasionally gathering with other members to talk baseball. What unites all SABR members is an interest in the game and joy in learning more about it. SABR membership is open to anyone; we offer 1-year and 3-year membership.
Learn more about becoming a member at SABR.org/join.
Here’s a list of some of the key benefits you'll receive as a SABR member:
Three research magazines each year — including two issues of the renowned Baseball Research Journal and The National Pastime — plus our informative "This Week in SABR" e-newsletter every Friday.
Our pipeline is stocked with numerous books. Some released as free e-book downloads to members at SABR.org/eBooks.
SABR members will benefit from access to Paper of Record – with The Sporting News and other periodicals – the SABR-L listserv, Lending Library, Oral History Collection and many other proprietary tools.
Discounts to SABR Conferences:
Discounts on any one of our conferences exceeds the cost of an annual SABR membership. Our growing list of events is highlighted by the SABR Analytics Conference, SABR National Convention, Jerry Malloy Negro Leagues Conference, and the Arizona Fall League Conference.
There are more than two dozen groups devoted to the study of a specific area related to the game.
In addition, many SABR and RM SABR members meet formally and informally within the chapters throughout the year and hundreds come together for the annual national convention, the organization's premier event. We hope you'll join the most passionate international community of baseball fans at SABR!


Eleanore Fortescue Brickdale
Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale had a career of some breadth as an artist. Interestingly, she was considered a Pre-Raphaelite painter; interesting because she was a woman, and because she came late for the Pre-Raphaelites (she was born in 1872). Hence she is credited with reviving that style in the late 19th century. She had the skill to do large oils (often of medieval or moral themes), colored book illustration, and watercolor. Eventually she even designed for stained glass. She continued working until she had a stroke in 1938, and died in London in 1945.
I love that name. You just don't encounter a lot of Fortescues nowadays.
Brickdale was quite prolific, and painted rich images such as these from The Book of Old English Songs and Ballads. I have a couple more books and will scan more from this and the others when I get time.
We were totally charmed by this image. It's by Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale, from The Book of Old English Songs and Ballads. We've seen pictures of men holding babies, often beautiful and touched, but a knight? Furthermore, we don't see his face, only the baby's. What a delight!
From a poem called "A Sweet Lullaby."
This image illustrates a poem by Robert Herrick called "To the virgins, to make much of time." The first line is "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may." It's sweet, yet creepy.
- Another bio: http://www.artnet.com/library/02/0290/T029025.asp
- Another: http://www.speel.demon.co.uk/artists2/brikdale.htm
- Scroll down: http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/artmenu.htm


In our latest blogs, we’ve discussed VenaCure EVLT and the connection between heart conditions and venous disease. You can learn more about these topics by exploring the links below.
- Learn more about thrombophlebitis and varicose veins with this information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.
- This article from Modern Heart Health provides additional information on the connection between venous disease and heart conditions.
- Learn more about endovenous laser treatment on the website of AngioDynamics, the developer of VenaCure EVLT.
- WebMD provides this slideshow of before and after photos of individuals who have undergone treatment for varicose and spider veins.
- The U.S. National Library of Medicine discusses different noninvasive treatments for varicose veins.
To schedule a treatment evaluation for your varicose or spider veins, call Advanced Varicose Vein Treatments of Manhattan today at (212) 204-6501.


Now iconic to Canadian, if not global culture, Cape Breton Island underwent a metamorphosis of sorts during the 1970s and 1980s. Long marginalized by geography, economics and predominant mainland political culture, a countercultural sea change brought the island’s deeply rooted creative side—music, drama, literature and humour—to centre stage. One such stage was Old Trout Funnies, a homegrown satirical series of comic books created by Sydney Mines artist Paul “Moose” MacKinnon from 1975 to 1977.
Old Trout Funnies features the exploits of the Cape Breton Liberation Army, a cadre of fierce Island nationalists based on MacKinnon’s circle of friends. Initially creating the comics as a student project for a commercial design course, MacKinnon found himself at the centre of a remarkably creative energy in 1970s industrial Cape Breton. It was a time of rediscovering traditional arts, the emergence of the community economic development movement and the birth of environmental activism. All were championed and lampooned in MacKinnon’s comic creations. Through the farcical exploits of the CBLA, Old Trout Funnies parodied and played with the caricature of Cape Bretoners as shiftless, happy-go-lucky rogues whose motivation emanated from the taverns.
MacKinnon’s creations—including comic books, illustrations, album artwork, street murals and a series of illustrated calendars featuring the CBLA—are enduring icons of Cape Breton’s struggles and are the subject of a new book from CBU Press and an exhibition at the CBU Art Gallery. Local comic and graphic novel collaboration company Artisync has digitally remastered the complete series of Old Trout Funnies and some of those images are used in the exhibition, opening this week, and in the book, available a week later.
Old Trout Funnies: The Exhibition presents a visual legacy of MacKinnon’s work, showing original materials from the archives of the Beaton Institute, copies of the original comics and various Cape Breton Liberation Army calendars. Curated by Dr. Ian Brodie, the exhibit will be on display until January 29, 2016.
Dr. Brodie is the Associate Professor in Folkore in the Department of History and Culture. His research interests include adolescent folklife, the intersections of folklore and popular culture, and stand-up comedy. In Old Trout Funnies: The Comic Origins of the Cape Breton Liberation Army, he explores the themes and the legacy of Old Trout Funnies, providing the cultural and historical context for a project that was intensely esoteric and in-the-moment. Published by CBU Press, the book includes a complete run of the comics, the calendars and some rarely seen ancillary images of the CBLA, and of some unfinished and unpublished works.
Due for release November 6, Old Trout Funnies: The Comic Origins of the Cape Breton Liberation Army contains a complete set of annotations for all those time- and place-specific references, and a contextualizing essay that sets Old Trout Funnies alongside other examples of 1970s post-industrial popular culture in Cape Breton.


Tom Wolfe, innovative journalist and author, dead at 87
- Author: Megan Austin May 16, 2018,
May 16, 2018, 12:42
Wolfe's works - fiction and non-fiction alike - looked at realms ranging from the art world to Wall Street to 1960s hippie culture and touched on the issues of class, power, race, corruption and sex.
Wolfe was well known for being a stylish dresser, often photographed in his trademark white suit.
His agent told The Wall Street Journal: "He is not just an American icon, but he had a huge worldwide literary reputation".
In the collection Wolfe wrote, "The most important literature being written in America today is in nonfiction". As aforementioned, he died in New York City, where he had lived since starting work as a reporter for the New York Herald Tribune in 1962.
Indonesia Church Bombings Leave 9 Dead and Dozens Wounded
Christians, many of whom from the ethnic Chinese minority, make up about 9% of Indonesia's 260 million people. Dozens of others were injured in the attacks, which occurred within minutes of each other.
"The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test", zeroed in on the counterculture. He had a pitiless eye and a penchant for spotting trends and then giving them names, some of which - like "Radical Chic" and "the Me Decade" - became American idioms.
From 1965 to 1981, Wolfe produced nine nonfiction books.
Despite earning a Ph.D., Wolfe set out on a career in journalism, working as a reporter at the Springfield Union in MA and later at The Washington Post.
Wolfe didn't begin his novels with a character and a plot so much as an idea, Tom Vitale of NPR explained. "I carried a copy of Electric Acid Kool-aid Test with me throughout high school, dazzled by the idea that you could really write like that about real things". Since childhood, Tom Wolfe dreamed of becoming a writer. It's part of what made his books catnip for Hollywood producers; four of them, including The Last American Hero, The Right Stuff, The Bonfire of the Vanities, and Almost Heroes, were turned into major films. For Wolfe, the techniques a writer used in fiction and nonfiction were interchangeable, and he proved that assumption repeatedly with a host of captivating essays in magazines like The New Yorker, Esquire, and Harper's. He was 88 years old.
Wolfe is survived by his wife, Sheila, and his children, Alexandra and Tommy.


그 외의 정보
Located just minutes from New York City, this Contemporary style home has all of the space and amenities you need for comfortable living. Upon entry into the home you'll be impressed with the open living room and it's soaring cathedral ceiling and gas fireplace. The kitchen has plenty of room for both cooking and dining and the first floor master suite is extraordinarily spacious. Two additional bedrooms and a full bath complete the first floor. An open loft area is perfect for a home office, library, or 4th bedroom option. On the ground floor you'll discover 3 additional finished rooms giving extended family living options, a full bath, direct access into the 2 car garage, laundry, and dedicated storage. Fort Lee is well known for it's prominent school system, easy access into NYC, a variety of cultural restaurants and shopping, and so much more. Come discover this affordable and move in ready home today!!!


A branding program was created for the first international conference on social entrepreneurship in India. This included designing an collectible “Artists book”. The concept is GROWTH and TRANSFORMATION. The design uses Indian Iconography in a contemporary context. The organic motif starts from a small green dot in the centre of the book. This green dot represents a small seed sown by a social entrepreneur. This green dot also represents the ‘bindu’ or the ‘origin of creation’ in Indian thought. The organic motif is printed on several pages and concentric circles are cut into the pages. This forms a tunnel book structure giving it 3-D depth. The hand drawn mandala-like organic growth motif is the main visual element. This organic motif represents the grassroots work social entrepreneurs do. Its mandala like structure and pattern expands outwards showing growth and positive radiance. This mandala concept is derived from Indian iconography. The design uses stark black and green color palette for visual impact. As the pages in the book are turned the organic pattern grows thus indicating transformation and ‘social change’. The book is printed on handmade paper stock and using only one pantone color for a handmade effect. This book has won a best of show Platinum Award in the Creativity Annual Awards.


Femme mature a baiser toursMany ways of seeing the world with the Ethicist, The Brian Lehrer Show, New York Public Radio August 30, 2017. The Journal of Ethics, 1-16. With Jill Lepore and Jonathan Haidt, Middlebury College (March 2018) Cosmopolitan Roots, The Jemison Visiting Professor Lecture, Department of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham (March 2018) Mistakes About Identity, The Jones Lecture, Lafayette College (March 2018) A conversation with Stephen Greenblatt on The Outsiders Within.
Interview: In Conversation With Kwame Anthony Appiah, Interview with Chiran Raj Pandey The Gazelle (NYU Abu Dhabi) February 18, 2017. Alexander Crummell and the Invention of Africa, The Massachusetts Review Vol. Abiola Irele and Isaac Mowoe, conveners) femme mariée à la recherche pour les amoureux de puerto montt (August 1993) Radio Interview Multiculturalism, with David Brudnoy, WBZ Boston (September 6, 1993) Beyond Eurocentrism and Afrocentrism, Community College of Philadelphia (October 1993) Fallacies of Eurocentrism and Afrocentrism, Duke University (September 1993) Radio Interview In My Fathers House, with. Monroe Beardsley Lecture, American Society for femme mariée à la recherche pour les amoureux de puerto montt Aesthetics, Philadelphia (April 2008) Whats Special About Religious Disputes? In Contemporary Philosophy: A New Survey Vol. Introduction, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs Modern Library Edition (New York: Random House, 2000 xi to xvi.
- Professor of Philosophy and Law, New York University.
- Nationally and internationally recognized, Vancouver-based artist Leslie Poole (b.
- 1942, Halifax, Nova Scotia) received his MFA from Yale University (New.


Certainly! There are several good Telugu books on personality development that can help you enhance your personal and professional growth. Here are some recommendations:
“వ్యక్తిగత అభివృద్ధి” (Vyaktigat Abhivriddhi) by Dale Carnegie – This Telugu translation of Dale Carnegie’s classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People” offers valuable insights into building strong relationships and improving communication skills.
“వ్యక్తిగత అభివృద్ధి” (Vyaktigat Abhivriddhi) by Dr. Ujjwal Patni – Dr. Ujjwal Patni is a renowned motivational speaker and author. This book covers various aspects of personal development, including time management, goal setting, and leadership.
“పరిస్కరణ – మన వ్యక్తిత్వంను పెంచుకోవడం” (Parisakarana – Mana Vyaktitvamnu Penchukovadam) by B. Rammohan Reddy – This book provides practical tips and strategies for personality development, focusing on self-improvement and motivation.
“వ్యక్తిత్వ వికాసం” (Vyaktitva Vikasam) by Swami Sukhabodhananda – Swami Sukhabodhananda’s book delves into the principles of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and personal growth, offering valuable insights for readers.
“వ్యక్తిత్వ వికాసం మొదటి అడ్డుకోసం” (Vyaktitva Vikasam Modati Addukosam) by Dr. B.V. Pattabhiram – Dr. B.V. Pattabhiram is a renowned psychologist and motivational speaker. This book covers various aspects of personality development, including self-confidence, communication skills, and stress management.
“మనసు మనసు” (Manasu Manasu) by Dr. A. Prabhakar Reddy – This book explores the psychology of the mind and offers practical techniques to improve mental and emotional well-being, which is an essential part of personality development.
“వ్యక్తిత్వ వికాసం” (Vyaktitva Vikasam) by Shiv Khera – Shiv Khera is a well-known motivational speaker and author. In this book, he shares valuable principles and strategies for personal and professional success.
“నా యత్నాలు – నా సాధనలు” (Na Yatnalu – Na Sadhanalu) by Dr. A. V. Subrahmanyam – Dr. A. V. Subrahmanyam’s book offers practical insights into achieving success through personal development, perseverance, and dedication.
These Telugu books on personality development cover a wide range of topics and provide valuable guidance to help you improve various aspects of your life. You can choose the ones that resonate with your interests and goals for personal growth.


The Worse for It website (theworseforit.com) will serve as a companion to the book: The Worse for It: The World War I Letters and Artifacts of Private First Class Robert E. Schalles. It will supplement and expand on the content in the book. For example, all the letters will be here and searchable. Students will also be able to see large-sized, color images of the letters, artifacts, documents and photographs.
In some cases where only portions of a document or booklet are shown in the book, the full document or booklet will be available on the website.
The website will also serve as a way to dispense more information about the people my grandfather knew, battles he was involved in and places he was stationed at during his time in the Army (1917 – 1919).
This is the initial version of the website. In the next phase I’ll be adding all the letters that will be in the book.
Hope you enjoy!


Where can I download files?
On sourceforge prject's page. <http://sourceforge.net/projects/netcraft>. Go there and follow the instructions for downloading files.
How can I install Netcraft?
It's easy, just download .tar.gz file, unpack it somewhere and run "./setup". You SHOULD NOT be root to do this. Because Netcraft is in development version it will work in your local directory. You need some things to install and run Netcraft:
- Allegro - game programming library, nice one, but now you'll need hacked version to run netcraft. Aviable on download's page of netcraft project on sourceforge.
- libpng - Library for loading PNG files. It is aviable on standard distribution.
- GNU tools - Such as gcc, GNU make, standard C library, grep, sed. You can get it everywhere.
- XFree86 - no comments. Probably Allegro run on Linux console (but I can't achieve it, maybe you).
Does Netcraft run on Win32?
Not yet. Previous versions run on Win32, but this one will need some improvements (mainly keep up-to-date setup.bat and makefile.w32). Since Netcraft supports network (how silly) it won't run on DOS, because it needs Winsock library. Try to make your own apropriate library and I'll support it. Win32 source code exists, but is completely untested. Don't expect everything to work on it.
What is WiP?
It's "Work in Progress" version. Intended audience - developers.


Watch videos detailing firsthand accounts of first responders and law enforcement members who have gotten connected with mental health or addiction treatment services through Acadia Healthcare’s Treatment Placement Specialists®. Also, read the latest articles from Michael Genovese, M.D., J.D., Acadia Healthcare’s chief medical officer, and Joseph Collins and Bill Mazur, Acadia Healthcare’s public safety liaisons.
Public Safety Videos
Public Safety in the News
National Tactical Officers Association: How COVID-19 has Amplified Operational Stress Among First Responders (February 2021)
National Tactical Officers Association: It Shouldn’t Take a Pandemic to Recognize the Importance of Resilience (August 2020)
National Tactical Officers Association: Information Overload: How COVID-19 Has Amplified Operational Stress Among First Responders, and What We Can Do to Help (May 2020)
Tactical Edge: Mental Health Response: How Tactical Officers Can Navigate Crisis Situations (February 2020)
Police1: 6 Trauma Management Best Practices for Police Organizations (May 2023)


The Women’s Center is a place for everyone. You can study with friends, achieve academic excellence, get help in a time of need, learn how to help others, be creative and have fun.
At the Women’s Center we want to hear from you. Tell us what you believe about equality, what the Women’s Center can do for you, or something about the world you want to create by clicking on the Student Voices button below. Do you have questions about gender, equality or the work we do? Click the ‘Ask the Staff’ button below and submit your questions.
Study, recharge and celebrate your way through finals week. Time management workshops, free massages, therapy dogs and more will be available. Cosponsored by the Student Involvement and Leadership Center, ASBSU, Albertsons Library, Advising and Academic Enhancement, Health Services, and other campus partners.
Visit http://getinvolved.boisestate.edu/have-fun/finals-relief/ for event information.
LGBT Scholarship Opportunity
Pride Foundation provides post-secondary educational scholarships to current and future leaders in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) and straight ally community from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
The scholarship application must be completed by January 16, 2015. Visit http://www.pridefoundation.org/what-we-do/scholarships/ for more information.


Welcome to the definitive 2024 Instagram Stories Benchmark Report. This extensive analysis offers deep insights into pivotal metrics like retention rate, exit rate, replies, and more. The report is an invaluable resource for brands aiming to understand and enhance their Instagram strategy effectively.
Keeping up with Instagram’s latest updates is essential for marketers and business owners. This article explores the recent changes on the platform that are shaping the future of social media marketing.
Table of Contents Introduction to Mobile Site Speed Optimization The Impact of Mobile Load Speed on Your Business Tools for Analyzing and Improving Mobile Speed Understanding Core Web Vitals and Their Impact on Mobile Speed The Future of Mobile Load Speed and Industry Trends Practical Tips for Improving Mobile Load Speed Advanced...


Members of the Jean Ribault Chapter, NSDAR, enthusiastically embrace the spirit of Today’s DAR to “Rise and Shine for America!” Through various fundraising efforts and many volunteer hours, we serve our community in Making a DAR Difference.
We continue to excel in promoting patriotism and honoring our military and veterans. Our chapter supports Wreaths Across America and various active duty military and veterans’ causes.
The Jean Ribault Chapter, NSDAR, participates yearly in a Naturalization Ceremony to welcome new citizens by leading them in the Pledge of Allegiance and presenting each new citizen with a flag of the United States of America.
The chapter participates in the national Constitution Week event, which promotes the reading and understanding of the Constitution of the United States of America through proclamations, displays, and the distribution of Constitution Week related materials to schools, libraries, government centers, and the general public.
Preserve American History
In April 1942, just a few months after the United States entered World War II, the oil tanker SS Gulfamerica was heading north on its maiden voyage off the coast of Florida, when it was attacked and sunk by a German submarine. Our chapter, in conjunction with the Ponte Vedra Chapter, NSDAR, placed the below marker on the anniversary of the attack, to memorialize the 19 lives lost.
To preserve American history, we traditionally mark the graves of deceased members with the DAR Insignia. The Jean Ribault Chapter, NSDAR, marked the grave of a former State Regent, Helen Thomson Williamson, for the State Regents’ Project and held a graveside dedication ceremony.
Following the lead of the NSDAR in the 1920s, the chapter began a decades-long relationship in support of the various DAR established and recognized schools with funding, books, clothing and materials. We support our chapter’s Literacy Promotion Committee program through the collection of adult and children’s books for distribution at schools, hospitals, shelters, and groups focusing on the underserved.
Service to Our Community
The chapter has collected and distributed cleaning supplies to local elementary and middle schools to help in the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chapter members have sewn and donated over 6,000 cloth masks.
Contact us for additional information about joining us to become One in a Million!
For more information about joining our dynamic chapter, click here


In this updated edition, the popular stamp and product catalogue from Åland Post presents all Åland stamps and collectibles issued from 1984 until and including 2017.
Now available to order in the web shop, Åland Post’s new and updated stamp and product catalogue supplies you with a quick and practical oversight of Åland as a collector’s area. All stamps and franking labels issued by Åland Post from 1984 until and including 2017 are presented in text and images. Also included is information of other types of collectibles such as year books, collector’s sheets, maximum cards, Christmas seals, model cars and euro coin sets.
As a new feature, the catalogue also presents images of all exhibition stamps and other special editions such as the Cup and Liiga Championship stamps from 2015 and 2016, produced using our online facilities for creating personalized Åland stamps.
|Number of pages||102|


"According to Yoga scholar George Feuerstein, the Western love affair with all things Eastern began in the third century
B. C. , once Alexander the Great's conquests opened up Persia and India." *
Alexander the Great was the king of Macedonia who, through his conquests, opened the road to Yoga in the western world. Macedonia is a country of sacred mysteries and unique beauties. Although it has no sea access, Macedonia has wonderful lakes and untouched mountains perfect for winter and summer adventures. The small inviting country also has an intriguing history and rich cultural heritage, reflected not least in the amazing food and local wine. Quite apart from Macedonia’s spectacular peaks, lakes and rivers, it’s the hospitality of the people of this most southern of Slavic nations that will make your visit truly memorable. Therefore come and experience the beautiful country of Macedonia and embark on a Yoga journey of your own within a nurturing and welcoming environment.
* book "Yoga" by Linda Sparrowe, 2008, p.45


CGB Textbook, January 2021
Production of this book may be delayed until January, depending on how long the US shutdown persists.
Dive in with us as we create a textbook meant to teach geometric beading techniques at the academic level!
We will be testing patterns this coming Spring for a textbook release for the Fall 2020 term. In addition to selling the textbook commercially, the team will be donating half of the first press run to schools and libraries all over the world. Our first test campuses will be the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Georgia and MIT in Cambridge, Mass.
Our team is global, open-source, non-profit and dedicated to building an open library of technique and animation that anyone can learn from.
Once in a while, we produce books that support the work of the research team.
Funds raised to support this work will go to artistic, illustration, coding and animation stipends and provide materials and give travel grants to bring students and beaders to our meetings and conferences, and teachers to campuses around the world.
Topics in the book will include building incredible fabrics that fold and morph, cycling machines that can do math, linkages that build architecture, energetic origami, musical notation, edge cloning techniques that mimic DNA and RNA, and simple beaded projects that demonstrate chemistry, physics, mobius surfaces and fun with math.
Co-authors and collaborators include professors and educators at a wide range of universities and primary schools.
Morphing & Folding Surface, Claudia Furthner, 2019
Fibonacci Sequence in Hypars, Sam Norgard, SCAD, 2019
Exploration of a Spiral, Claudia Furthner, 2019
Magic Carpet HyparBlanket, Ingrid Wangsvik, 2018
Technical illustrations of Hypars making a saddle fabric


|Image Credits: https://upload.wikimedia.org/|
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story of hatred and judgment of the society against a woman named Hester, who conceives a child with a man other than her husband. Although this is a frowned upon case in today’s society, as well, the consequences borne by Hester were unimaginable. She was made to stand on a scaffold for a considerable amount of time with her child in her arms and wear a scarlet colored ‘A’ on her robe for the world to see. She carried this symbol with her throughout life. Even after bearing insult and punishment of this horrifying extent, she refused to unveil the name of her partner in crime. Thus, she carried the pain of her punishment, all alone.
“…she turned her eyes downwards at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real.”
So was the extent of her helplessness! It is quite indulging to read how her husband and the father of her child meet each other long after this incident. Her husband, who has the sole intention of destructing the life of a man who dared have an illicit relationship with his wife, and the other man, who is bearing the pain of living a burdened life of keeping the secret that created a storm of this degree in Hester’s world, are both sinful in their own manner. In the midst of these extreme feelings, Pearl, the daughter of Hester, is giving an impression that she is under the effect of Satan.
Although there are many other elements in the book, the feeling of grief remains the central concept of the book. There are an enormous pain, gloom, and sadness in it. Most of the paragraphs of each chapter are covered with the grief of Hester. At times, I felt compelled to admire the author for portraying the vivid description of the pain; however, after a while, I felt overburdened with reading the same emotion, repeatedly. There was only one escape from the details of Hester’s agony and that was in Pearl’s innocent and – sometimes – devious characteristics. Her dialogues are a happy get away from all the grievous things happening in the plot. My favorite dialogue is when a man asks her if she could convey a message to Hester and she says,
“If the message pleases me, I will.”
For me, Pearl is the soul of the book, and she is the voice of her grieving mother. Although she is just a child, she rebukes the people when they try to hurt her, and she poses honest questions to everyone, irrespective of their position and power. When her father meets her and Hester in the forest and kisses her forehead, she directly asks him whether he would do the same in front of people or he will hold her and her mother's hands only when they are alone. There are so many colors to her character, which kept me motivated to read the book.
The wildly descriptive style of the author has the power to draw a live image of the scenes as if they are occurring in front of our own eyes; however, at the same time, it tests the patience of the readers, too. There are too many details about the feelings of the characters and -- somehow -- each one of them ended up depressing me; of course, this is a book about a tragic life of a woman, but I did not think it would have a never-ending description of sadness at every line of each chapter. Nonetheless, the author’s selection of the words has a pinpoint accuracy, which enables him to convey his intended emotions in the hearts of the readers.
The author picked up the simplest thoughts and then wrote them in a magnificent manner to keep the reader awestruck with his choice of elegant words to deliver the message.
“Let men tremble to win the hand of woman, unless they win along with it the utmost passion of her heart!”
Having said all that, this book would interest the readers, who enjoy a tragic plot decorated with grand and spellbinding words. If you are one of those readers, who like a close and detailed description of every single aspect, character, and emotion then you are in for a treat. As for me, I found it extremely difficult to read lengthy details, only to find the extreme sadness that prevailed around Hester. Moreover, it was a hectic task for me to follow the story without being distracted by overwhelming details of everything. One thing that kept me motivated to read until the last page was my desire to know how it all ends for poor Hester.


- Este debate está vacío.
noviembre 17, 2020 a las 8:19 am #5342Alma BlomInvitado
Counselling Skills and Theory
by Margaret Hough
- Genres: counselling, psychology
- Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
- Release date: October 24, 2010
- ISBN: 9781444119930 (1444119931)
- Language: english
- Format: paperback, 360 pages
- Author: Margaret Hough
About The Book
This is where you can find an overview of the major approaches in counselling, how they fit together, and how you can integrate them into your practice. It’s also your guide to the nature of counselling, the skills needed to be a counsellor and managing the challenges of the counselling relationship!
This new edition is suitable for a wide range of courses, including Foundation, Certificate, Diploma and Higher Education studies in Counselling. There is discussion of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme with expanded coverage of CBT approaches. It also references the latest BACP guidelines for counsellor training and best practice. The book reflects the impending requirement for statutory regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists via the Health Professions Council.
Every year the Case Studies, Exercises, Handouts, and Resources tips in this book help thousands of trainees and established practitioners develop their understanding of the theories and practical skills required in this challenging and rewarding profession!
EPUB Counselling Skills and Theory Margaret Hough read online. Online ebook Counselling Skills and Theory for Mac on Walmart. TXT book Counselling Skills and Theory buy cheap. PDF ebook Counselling Skills and Theory by Margaret Hough download on iPad on Powells.


*This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a commission should you choose to purchase using the links. But this comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks! ~ Angela | Natural Born Mommy
I’m so happy to be featuring this guest post by Crisanne from crisannewithane.com. I love her unique ideas on literary gifts for children because reading with your kids at an early age is so important. And sometimes it can be hard to make reading fun. Can’t wait to try these out as my daughter gets older! Thanks, Crisanne!
Kid’s Literary Gift Guide 2017
Looking for a gift for your young reader this holiday season? Check out this unique list of books and book-related products that are sure to impress!
The Gift of Self-Publishing:
Do you have an aspiring writer or illustrator? Lulu, the self-publishing giant, has a branch called Lulu Junior. They have multiple DIY Book Making Kits available, containing guides, templates, visuals, and thorough instructions to take your writer through the whole publishing process. How fun is that?
Because They Love Reading on a Tablet:
Epic, the “leading digital library for kids 12 & under” is a subscription-based, online library of 25,000 books. At just $7.99/month, it really does seem like a Netflix of kids’ books!
To Get Them Excited About School Again:
Send them back to school with some of the world’s finest pencils. CW Pencils in New York offers this back-to-school essentials box, which is currently in stock (not always the case)! You can also purchase pencils individually. How can a pencil be so amazing? The owner knows her stuff! Her life is pencils, and you can check it out here.
To Make Their Bookshelves Bloom:
Oh my goodness, these books are beautiful! They are also on my Christmas list! The covers are designed by Rifle Paper Co., a trendsetting design company, and are a stunning addition to any bookshelf.
A Safe Space to Hang out Online:
Have you heard of Biblionasium? Or Bookopolis? Both are safe, popular, online communities for young readers. They capitalize on the power of social media and use it in a healthy, engaging way. Consider making an account for your child and “presenting” it to them this Christmas. It is a gift that keeps on giving!
To Make History Come Alive:
Two of this year’s Newberry honors are a historical fiction and a magical adventure rooted in the Canterbury Tales. From the Newberry website:
Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan, “Inspired by an 1828 estate appraisement, Ashley Bryan honors the lives of eleven slaves in poetry and collage. Conveying the terror of the patterroller and the hope of voices raised in song, Bryan imagines for each person a life of oppression and a dream for freedom.” Recommended for ages 6+; more info here
Wolf Hollow, written by Lauren Wolk, “Set in rural Pennsylvania during World War II, this compelling story of consequences addresses complex issues of bullying, PTSD, and discrimination. At the center of this atmospheric novel, articulating themes of self-reliance, hope, and justice, is our heroine Annabelle who struggles to confront her tormentor and her own conscience.” Recommended for ages 10+; more info here
The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog, written by Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly, “Informed by six years of research, and reminiscent of “The Canterbury Tales,” Adam Gidwitz has written a brand-new illuminated manuscript, a sometimes harrowing, sometimes hilarious epic about three magical friends on the run in 1242 France and their encounters with a dragon, a holy dog, and cheese.” Recommended for ages 10+; more info here
The Best Fantasy of the Year:
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. Winner of the 2017 Newberry award, this book is rich with storytelling, imagination, and wonder. Who wouldn’t want to get lost in this world?
Because Princesses Can Save Princes:
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch is an empowering story of a princess who saves her prince from the dragon. Another reason to gift it? Universal Studios just announced that a film adaptation is in the works! If your reader loves books with all the extras, get them the 25th anniversary edition brimming with bonus content!
Because Adventure is Their Middle Name:
If your middle grade/tween reader thrives on adventure try out one of the following series:
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Stewart is a fantastic, whimsical adventure about four extraordinarily gifted children who are selected for a secret and dangerous mission. Humor, wit, and exceptional storytelling make this four book series “unputdownable.” It’s also illustrated by Carson Ellis, enough said!
The Penderwicks by Jane Birdsall is part of a four book series about four charming sisters and their quirky, widowed father. The girls are bursting with personality and get themselves into hilarious situations that keep you engaged from beginning to end.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein is a humorous, fast-paced adventure in which a group of 12 children have to solve a complex puzzle in order to escape the library. There are two more books in the series, so the fun doesn’t have to stop!
A Super Fun Bookmark:
Do your kids like Pokemon GO? Wizard of Oz? Cute little animals? The Etsy shop MyBookmark is full of the most delightful bookmarks you’ve ever seen! Handcrafted legs/shoes/tails stick out beyond the pages making it look like the book is hiding little creatures. This is a true gift for a bookworm!
A Booklight with Style:
Any of these would make for great reading before (or past!) bedtime:
For Your Reader That’s a Chef:
“Literary cookbooks” are all the rage! From Roald Dahl to Redwall you can probably find one to delight your reader. I was so excited to find the Anne of Green Gables; it’s available in hardcover as of September this year!
I hope you’ve found a few gifts on this list that sound just right for your reader. Happy shopping, and most of all, happy reading!
Crisanne is the proud owner of a bookshelf that never grew up. She blogs about children’s books, faith, and family at http://www.crisannewithane.com. You can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.


In part 1 of the show, we ask UCI senior Omar Bustami and UCI sophomore Moran Cohen why they went on the the trip, what they found and what lessons they learned.
To listen to part 1 of the show, click here: .
In part 2, we talk with UC Riverside ethnic studies Assoc. Prof. Dylan Rodriguez about what is the future for progressive anti-racism struggle when the U.S. President is for the first time an African American. He's not optimistic. He believes an Obama administration will continue to "domesticate, discipline, and contain a politics of radical opposition to a U.S. nation-building project that now insists on the diversity of the American "we," while leaving so many for dead." See his essay, Inaugurating Multiculturalist White Supremacy, posted on Racewire. We also discussed this collection of essays, to which he contributed a chapter: The revolution will not be funded : beyond the non-profit industrial complex, edited by Incite! Women of Color Against Violence. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2007; Table of Contents. The book addresses the limits of civil society and NGOs.
To listen to part 2 of the show, click here: .


|Astute social commentary, ten pages at a time|
This book is a collection of 22 short stories by sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury, who is probably best known in the mainstream for the classic Fahrenheit 451, which is one of my personal favorites. Some of them are original, and others are reprints from magazines. There really isn't an underlying theme for the stories, and it would be tedious for all involved for me to try and review all 22 of them; if you were going to take the time to read all of that, you might as well just read the book and make up your own mind. So instead, I'll briefly highlight my favorite stories in the collection.
If I were to rank the stories numerically in terms of my enjoyment, "The Meadow" would probably come in third. It tells the tale of an elderly night watchman at a film studio in Hollywood who puts pieces of the sets that were demolished during the day back together during his shift, and his eventual meeting with the studio boss regarding this odd behavior. My interest in this one may be biased by my general interest in filmmaking, but it really spoke to me for some reason.
My second favorite was "The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl." This was a comic tale of the immediate aftermath of an unplanned murder and an otherwise average person's reaction to the horrible crime he'd just committed. This one is relatively free of social commentary (or if it was in there, it was buried so deep that I didn't catch it), setting it apart from most of the stories in the collection. I just found it really funny, not only because of the situation, but mostly due to the style in which Bradbury unfolded the events.
The best by far, in my opinion, was "The Murderer," which the back of the book describes as being about "a misunderstood man of the future with a perfectly reasonable explanation for murdering his house." This is a straight-up satire of then-modern society that is much more relevant today than it was then. This one alone is worth the price of admission.
The main problem with this collection is largely the same as one finds with any short story collection: that is, unevenness. While there aren't any stories in here that I would say are bad, there are certainly a few that are subpar compared to the rest of the collection. Overall, though, this is a great collection from a great writer, and shouldn't be missed.
Mr. Rhythm Says:
All of the stories are good, and the great ones more than make up for the less-than-great ones. Definitely worth picking up.
Written by Mr. Rhythm, 2006-03-14 19:11:33


FDLRS Heartland provides a variety of resources for teachers and parents, both in online and print form.
Please visit our Helpful Links page for resources on:
- Child Development
- Early Education
- Special Needs
A variety of documents related to FDLRS activities and policies are on our Documents page.
FDLRS Heartland maintains a Lending Library with books, videos, workbooks, and other materials available for borrowing. Please visit our Lending Library page to see the different categories of materials we have and to complete a Request Form for materials.


The Blue Tooth Virgin
An inside look into the politics of the creative process, two friends, both writers, face the daunting challenge of delivering negative criticism, but learn that the process can become a catalyst for self discovery and growth. Sam, an aspiring screenwriter, and David, a successful magazine editor, have been pals for years. When David doesn’t appreciate Sam’s latest screenplay, it opens a fissure in their friendship, one that spreads through to the rest of their lives. Ultimately, both men must reevaluate their motivations to write, their need for praise and validation, and what it means to see yourself as you actually are.
Sgt. Stubby - An American Hero
With World War I looming, a young Army Pvt. Robert Conroy is adopted by a stray, stump-tailed terrier. Conroy names his new friend Stubby and gives him a home, a family, and a chance to embark on the adventure that would define a century. The two quickly find themselves in the trenches of France and on the path to history. French soldier Gaston Baptiste befriends the duo and accompanies them along their epic journey through harsh conditions and incredible acts of courage.
Daniel longed to touch the moon; with Sandy’s help, he’d reach the stars. It was 1969 and America was embarking on the biggest adventure known to humankind with its voyage to the moon. Daniel too was pursuing the unknown; leaving the path of isolation he had known for so long to embrace the love of another. The only question was would he be able maintain that trajectory or would he veer off course never to be seen again. That was the challenge for ‘The Astronot’.
SMACKED! Addiction and Recovery in Rural America
Addiction is easy. Recovery is not. Rural America has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic, but hope is alive as well. SMACKED! tells the story of how law enforcement and the health care community are coping with the heroin epidemic that has swept the rural Western Catskill mountains of New York State. The film features stakeholders primarily located in Delaware and Otsego Counties in mid-state New York. Through the creativity of the law enforcement and recovery communities, unique education, awareness and prevention programs have been created despite the scarce availability of funding. By focusing on recovering addicts and health professionals, SMACKED! humanizes the addict and addresses the dangerous stigma around addition and recovery.
Drugs as Weapons Against Us: The CIA War on Musicians and Activists
This film covers the CIA's involvement in drug trafficking and the promotion of drugs for social control. It details evidence of the CIA's Project MK-Ultra manipulating musicians and activists to promote drugs. It also details evidence of U.S. intelligence "neutralizing" these figures when they sobered up. It further shows the evidence that U.S. intelligence mostly targeted anti-war and anti-racism activists, such as leaders of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and The Black Panthers. The musicians it covers includes Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Tupac Shakur, Janis Joplin, and The Rolling Stones, among others.
Nothing Changes: Art for Hank's Sake
How far would you go to pursue your passion? At 87 years old, Hank Virgona commutes to his Union Square studio six days a week and makes art. Despite poor health, cancer, lack of revenue and obscurity as an artist, Hank is unrelenting in his quest to understand how life and art are the same.
Attempting to impress the new girl, an awkward teenager agrees to a camping trip but it could be their last when they come across two hillbillies in the woods.
The Grimoire Chapters: Rem
Episode 2 - The Hand That Feeds You
The experiment continues. No sleep, no escape. Something egregious has joined the Parker's in their descent down the rabbit hole, gateway to a land unknown, something now locked inside their house with them. Do you want to see? Knives, gas lighting, tea parties, and mutiny. You're invited to dinner.
Charlotte puts Rochester in the rear view as she runs away from the life she has known. She has never been on her own and doesn't know if she'll make it as her resources are stripped away. She meets diverse women who offer connection, insight, and laughter on the road to Florida and a possible new life.
©2018 Beaver Alley Studios Inc


Happy Anniversary to Catharine and Philip!
September 7, 2018
Happy Anniversary Catharine and Philip!
OTD, 263 years ago, the Schuyler Sisters’ parents wed. It was a union of two of New York’s most affluent families, but also of two young hearts very much in love. Catharine and Philip would be married over 50 years. Even then—after together surviving two wars fought in their backyard, the birth of 15 children and the death of 7, national acclaim followed by national rebuke, and long separations—Philip would address his sweetheart as “my dearest love.”
“Philip and Catharine were a powerhouse team in terms of social networking and status building,” says Ian Mumpton, historian with the Schuyler Mansion, “but they were never just a good political or money match. While we don’t have letters from Catharine’s side of the conversation, it is clear from Philip’s letters to her that this dynamic was rooted in a relationship built on affection, as well as mutual respect and cooperation. This would be the case throughout the many years of their marriage.”
A Van Rensselaer, Catharine grew up at Clavereck, across the Hudson River and southeast of Albany. As children of the Dutch landed gentry, she and Philip probably saw one another as they grew up at local celebrations like annual berry gatherings hosted as festivals, followed with “a dance in the wood and moonlight rambles.” She was described as a “lady with great beauty, shape, and gentility...perfect in form and feature, graceful in movement and winning in her deportment.” While her daughters would go on to become well-read, proto-feminists, Catharine seems to have struggled to master English and focused her training on the art of housekeeping and managing a multi-faceted working estate. (A skill and confidence that made her very much an equal and critically important partner with her husband, especially during his Revolutionary War service).
While Catharine studied at home, Philip left Albany when he was 14-years-old to attend school in New Rochelle. Three years later he went off into upstate New York’s frontier, for the 18th-century equivalent of “wilderness training,” learning to canoe, hunt, trap, and trade with the local Iroquois tribes. He would excel in mathematics, engineering, and language, and was fluent in Dutch, English, French, and Iroquois dialects—the perfect training for his later role as the chief negotiator and commissioner with the Six Nations of the Iroquois.
His first written mention of Catharine was in a 1753 letter sent from NYC, where 19-year-old Philip was attending the first season of plays in the city, with “a sweetheart from Barbados.” In the note, he asked his friend “Brom” to send “sweet Kitty V.R.” his love “if you see her.”
Two years later, during the French and Indian War, 21-year-old Philip served as a captain with the British. He was recalled from the front, however, to marry sweet Kitty. Angelica was born five months later—something that might scandalize society later, but then wasn’t uncommon. Ever heard of “bundling?” http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/holiday07/court.cfm
Eliza came along 18 months after Angelica’s birth, and Peggy 13 months after that. (For 27 years, Catharine was either pregnant or caring for a newborn!) While the three famous Schuyler Sisters were all under the age of 5, Catharine gave birth to twins—alone. Philip had sailed off to England on business, not to return for another year, leaving her to also oversee the construction of the mansion.
Over and over, Catharine would prove herself a strong, loyal, and brave partner, as well as a hostess the caliber of a first lady. She traveled into the wilderness to nurse Philip when he was hit with “violent fluxes” during the Revolutionary War (and yes, she was pregnant when she did so). She rode toward Burgoyne’s advancing Redcoat invasion force to gather all the supplies she could from their Saratoga estate before the enemy reached it (carting along her toddler Cornelia). She even entertained Burgoyne and his large entourage at the family’s Albany Mansion after the British general was defeated—at the chivalrous invitation of Philip—again alone. Philip had to stay in Saratoga to rebuild their country house, mill, and barns that “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne had burned to the ground during the battle!
By 1780, French officers visiting the Schuyler Mansion right after Hamilton and Eliza’s wedding, commented that Catharine (who was in her final pregnancy at the time) had grown to be rather formidable.
I would guess so!!
I truly enjoyed writing every scene of HAMILTON AND PEGGY, but I really relished taking a moment to describe Schuyler gazing at Catharine as she danced with George Washington at a 1782 reception the Schuylers held. It was a wonderful example real-life handed me to let the novel’s young adult readers know what a rewarding marriage looks like, and what they deserve and should look for long-term in a mate: “...Schuyler beheld Catharine with an adoration that made Peggy’s eyes well up. Her papa looked like he might burst with pride in his beloved Kitty. After twenty-five years of marriage, thirteen pregnancies, war’s losses and victories public praise and ridicule, illness and disappointments, fear and jubilation, they were still in love, still partners.”


My Favorite Novels of 2013
The only book in order is my top choice for the year and one of my favorite of all time (I know its only been out a few months but I read it over two years ago and it rocked my world then and continues to so do or do so or doe-si-doe). The rest are arranged in the order that I thought of them.
Winger, by Andrew Smith. This is a great book that perfectly captures the voice of adolescence. Ryan Dean’s voice is wonderful and authentic and did I mention there’s rugby in the book? Everyone should read this book. It is poetic and brutally powerful.
The Chaos Walking Trilogy, by Patrick Ness (including The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, and Monsters of Men). I’m cheating. This is three books but they really are one epic science fiction story that will make you cry and break your heart and keep you turning the pages right up until the end. This is how great sociological science fiction is written. And it happens to be a YA book. The gender politics (everyone can hear what men think but nobody can hear what women think) and the commentary on the nature of being human cuts through you right from the beginning. Then there’s the alien race and consciousness. Wow.
Railsea, by China Miéville. I have to say right from the start that this author is not everyone’s cup of tea and… I read another book by him that I liked and another that I couldn’t finish (rare for me). What does this mean? The language is difficult to get the hang of but once I did I really found this story of White Whale hunting and metaphor mapping to be a wonder. But the language… stay with it. I found it an original work of really great and unique science fiction.
11/22/63, by Stephen King. Two friends recommended this to me. I held off until I was ready to travel to Seattle and had 5 hours on a plane facing me there and 5 hours back. So… I have to say this is vintage King writing historical fiction with a vengeance. I loved the main character and would have followed him anywhere after the first couple of pages. Early hook, King never let me go. Time travel, butterfly effect, the 1960s (I was born in 61) all used to good effect. I was sad to see this one end and I’ve recommended to everyone I know since. It’s a long novel and that is a very good thing.
The Wind Through the Keyhole, by Stephen King. First know that I love a good western and I love the Dark Tower Series. Given that then you can understand why I loved this King coming of age again story. It is chilling and beautifully written.
Out of my Mind, by Sharon Draper. The story of a disabled child stuck in a wheel chair, unable to speak or communicate yet incredibly smart and aware of what’s going on around her and nobody knows it. This story is so powerful. It’s told from inside the young girl’s head, how she sees and knows the world rather than from the outside in and this makes the experience raw and challenging. I especially liked the ending and its realistic, no Disney fireworks conclusion.
The Dust of a Hundred Dogs, by A.S. King. Reality Boy was terrific too (so I’ll sneak in a quick recommendation as A.S. King rocks with all her books) but I have to tell you Dust of 100 dogs just rocked my boat. I’m a sucker for a western but I’m also a bigger sucker for a pirate story. And this is a love story also! This is told from the protagonist’s point of view from three unique angles (many dogs perspectives, a modern-day teenager, and a pirate from the days of swashbuckling). This is not a story for the squeamish (rape and pillaging abound) but man did it grab me. I saw the ending coming but felt so satisfied when it arrived that I didn’t care.
Calico Joe, by John Grisham. I know I know. John Grisham? Hey, what can I say. I really enjoyed this baseball book about father-son relationships. I can’t believe how fascinating this story was. My father-in-law hated this and I loved it. The insight into why players do what they do was terrific.
Buddha, by Osamu Tezuka (including Volumes 1-8, yes, you read that right, 1-8). I’m cheating but I’m not really cheating. It’s one long epic graphic novel in 8 volumes. And it’s the story of Buddha. And the covers were all designed by Chip Kidd. How can you go wrong? This is the Buddha story with a vengeance. It’s all manga from the grandfather of manga, filled with inside jokes about school in Japan, and part Monty Python’s The Life of Brian. It’s also a deep book about religion, it’s uses and misuses and yes, about why we fear death and how we as human beings can come to terms with it. My son and I read these together. Take your time reading the story and enjoy the pen and ink on the full-page panels. The detail is incredible. This is an amazing lifetime achievement.
The Drowned Cities, by Paulo Bacigalupi. Even more brutal and disturbing than Ship Breaker – more violent if you can believe it. And so disturbing reading about children making war on children. This is total heart of darkness time. Keep one eye half closed as you read, but do read it and hope that Bacigalupi writes another story that takes us back to this world. Just… no more chopping off of fingers, please! Ouch.
Well, that it for 2013.
I’m looking forward to the reading list for 2014.
And my own work moves forward, slowly, but surely. If I can just keep at it I should have two books in to my agent this year. Fingers crossed. Nose to the grindstone.
Hookers, Language, and Naked Acrobats
Memoirs of a Rugby-Playing Man by Jay Atkinson is not your ordinary memoir – at least not here in the US. In England there are plenty of memoirs of famous ruggers but here in the US? I don’t know if there is even one – either famous ruggers or memoirs about them. Regardless, Atkinson surely has the credentials and the longevity in the sport to be an expert voice on it.
A friend of mine – someone I faced on the rugby pitch many times over the years and with whom I share a love of the sport – gave me this book for the holidays and I read it quickly and with great enjoyment. I especially enjoyed the perspective of a hooker (a position in the scrum that is responsible for “hooking” the ball back to his teammates when the ball is sent into the scrum. It’s a brutal position simply because of the physics of the scrum (all the pressure of eight players pressing into the shoulders and necks of the front three players and the front row center player is the hooker). I played rugby for 13 years and for all but maybe four or five games played with the backs at wing, fullback, or center. I played 2nd row once (my ears wouldn’t allow me to do it a second time) scrum-half once (now that was fun even if I was terrible) and flanker two or three times. I say this because as a back I especially enjoyed the peek into what it was like to be in the front row and hook.
But what does all this mean? It means Mr. Atkinson had a tough sale to make about a sport that is not real popular here in the US. And he sold it anyway. It helps that he’s published a few novels, some of which have been successful critically and sales-wise (I’m going on record to say that I’ll be reading one of his novels this year …)
What I was amazed at was how heartfelt the memoir is. Now hear me out. Heartfelt and rugby don’t necessarily go together but let me see if I can explain. Atkinson’s book wades through drinking, partying, and sex scenes (there’s one in particular with a naked hand-standing acrobat… ) one after the other for most of the first two-thirds of the book – which is a lot of what rugby is about – mayhem – but it is a bit of an onslaught. Still it is not a sport for the faint hearted and does linger in alcoholic mayhem post play. I think I’m too attached to that word, mayhem. But war stories like this can be tiresome after a while. What’s the point? How do they build the overall story of this man’s life? In a novel wouldn’t some of them be cut to make sure the narrative moved forward?
Atkinson’s story snuck up on me. The backbone of the rugby life laced with stories of his family and his writing is what did it for me. His relationship with his father and with the writer Harry Crews (his teacher) became the emotional thread that built and peaked the narrative in the third act. It made his story a coming of age story that resonated with me deeply. It gave the memoir shape, it gave it form.
It also reminded me of what a writer friend told me once when critiquing my “rugby” novel a long long time ago (it was a novel that never sold but got me my first agent), “Put in all the rugby language and don’t worry if people don’t understand exactly what it means. Fuck ’em.” What I see in Atkinson’s use of the language of rugby – which by the way is the same language that Andrew Smith so skillfully uses in his book Winger – which has its main character play rugby – is how beautiful language can be when it’s unique to an activity – even when it’s brutal. It is language that even if not understood in a direct word for word translation tells a story with texture and depth.
Oh. And what about that kick-ass cover? I remember one game almost drowning in a good foot of water and mud on a flooded field in Bayonne New Jersey…
There Ain’t No Sanity-Clause
I’ve thought about this a lot.
There are a lot of writers out there writing about how to write novels, how to write stories, how to write right, how to write wrong.
I’ve written some posts about the writing process in this blog and as a guest poster for some friends but no matter what angle I write about I just don’t think I’m bringing much new to the discussion. The best of them, like Andrew Smith’s “How to Write A Novel parts 1-4 and counting…) make me laugh at the absolute insanity (there ain’t no sanity-clause) that is the world of publishing and the writing life (whatever that is).
But I keep feeling like there’s something I can offer. I’m just not sure what I can bring to the table.
Salt and pepper?
Brussel sprouts? Okay I really don’t like Brussel sprouts so let’s not talk about them ever again. Seriously. I can eat just about anything but brussel sprouts. I get a gag reflex just thinking about those little green balls of sprout. So let’s stay off the brussel sprouts.
Here’s two bits of advice I can give. It’s not much but it’s only January 20th so work with me.
Both bits of advice you’re heard a million times before – I’m sure – so I’ll try to give each a different context to make them sound important and fresh. Or at least not stale. I’m not sure why I’m stuck on food analogies but hopefully they will work their way off… the table.
The first bit of advice comes from a man named Pattabhi Jois who died in 2009 and was one of the great yogis (not as in bear but as in the yoking of the physical and the spiritual) of our time – and developed the style of yoga called Ashtanga yoga. I never met him but I wish I had. I have been to yoga studios that he taught in and spoke in so I got to soak up some of his vibe but that’s about it. Still his influence on yoga in the 20th century has been great.
Anyway I digress. Whenever students asked him when they would achieve the next level of anything in their yoga practice (or their life) he would say, “Practice and all is coming.” I think it works the same way for writing.
The other bit of advice I’ve been told and passed on to others just like many many other writers is if you want to be a writer you need to read – a lot. The only thing I can add to that is to read everything, not just the classics, but all genres, good writing and bad writing. I say this because it has worked that way for me. Everything I read is like a short course in how to write, what works and what doesn’t. I can’t help myself. If I was a Brussel sprout farmer I would see all food through the lens of a brussel sprout. As I writer I read on two levels, for pleasure, and to understand why I like or dislike what I’m reading. This can be summed up as, do what works for you as a reader and don’t do what doesn’t.
For example, I read Robert Jordan’s first book in the Wheel of Time Series (many friends recommended it to me) and was driven crazy (there still ain’t no sanity-clause) by the number of characters that muttered. He muttered. She muttered. We muttered. They muttered. You familiar muttered. So… I try not to have characters mutter. I also learned from that book (I only read the first book in the series so I can’t say if this is so about the other books in the series) to make sure that things happen in my writing. Jordan was a beloved writer, just not by me. Little happened in that first book and it was a long book for little to happen in. So… having things happen is good. Not having things happen is bad. I try to make sure when I write that things happen.
So this year I’ll be trying something new on my blog in my own personal attempt not to mutter, to make things happen, not to eat brussel sprouts, and to bring back the sanity-clauss.
I’ll be writing about the books that I read during the year and telling you what I learned from reading each of them. And if there’s one thing I know about my own writing it is that I have a lot to learn.
Maybe this is something I can bring to the table.
Winger, Pizza, Jobs, and Helsreach Ants
As a writer I love to read and I read a little of everything with a lot of YA, some non-fiction (biographies too), and a graphic novel when I can find one that hits the sweet spot.
I’ve never done a top ten list before on books but there’s always a first. Here are my favorite books that I read this year (some are from prior to 2012 and some will come out in 2013) in no particular order except for the first one – which is hands-down my favorite and I even read it twice, once in 2011 and once two months ago.
- Winger, by Andrew Smith is the first and easily worth two readings. It hasn’t been published yet but is coming out in 2013. If you’re not already an Andrew Smith fan this book will make you look up all the rest of his work and start reading them one after the other. The main reason I loved this book was the voice of the narrator. He is 14 and Andrew really captured the voice of this boy perfectly. It is incredibly funny and sad for different reasons at different times. Did I mention the protagonist plays rugby? And that it is illustrated perfectly (the narrator draws so “his” drawings are included throughout). This is storytelling at its finest.
- The Maze Runner (trilogy and prequel – 4 books total), by James Dashner is rough reading. This is really four books but it all starts with The Maze Runner. My son read it first (might not have been such a good idea as he’s 10 but…) and when I finally got to the first book I had to read through them all. Do I have gripes about the storytelling? Yes. Was it one of the most compelling reads of the year? Yes. Is it good sci-fi? Yes again. Thought provoking? Brutal? Depressing and terrifying (especially the prequel)? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
- Helsreach, by Aaron Dembski-Bowden is a Warhammer 40,000 novel about space marines called the black Templars. I know, I know. Space marines? Warhammer 40,000? Hey, the man can write and as far as these novels go this is a keeper. Hordes of orks (don’t ask) in a Waagh (don’t ask again) swoop down onto a planet that is protected by the black Templars and they fight the battle literally to the last marine. Absolutely fascinating novel of warfare in the 41st century with some interesting work on the writer’s part in bringing out multiple viewpoints. This book was just plain muscular fun.
- The Wind Through The Keyhole, by Stephen King is wonderful, vintage King. The Gunslinger series is my favorite of his works and this adds another notch to the belt of the tale. This is a haunting tale of Roland as a boy out on his first mission. I don’t read King too often any more but this one just sang.
- The Drowned Cities, by Paolo Bacigalupi is a challenging read. I bought it for my son because we both read his other great book Shipbreaker and this continued the tale of the bioengineered war beast Tool. How could you turn that down? Then I read it quickly to screen it before I allowed my son to read it and I’m glad I did. Wow. The violence depicted is absolutely brutal. Children doing horrendous violence to children during a time of total war. This is a great book, wonderfully written, visceral to the point of making me put the book down and cringe at least three times. It is also a book of great, harsh, truth. The scope of the story is small and the pace is quick. It is an exercise in focus. This guy is good.
- Everybody Sees the Ants, by A.S.King is simply wonderful. It’s the first book I read by A.S. King and I immediately picked up Please Ignore Vera Dietz as soon as I was finished. Ms. King is another writer (like Andrew Smith) who nails the teenage voice (in her case both male and female in different books). Writing well, with a ring of authenticity from a young person’s perspective is a huge challenge and this story of a boy who has been bullied and his family just broke my heart. What I especially like are the realistic adult characters and how they give such great texture to Lucky’s story.
- Please Ignore Vera Dietz, by A.S. King is the second King book I read and it was also a powerful tale of loss and coming of age. She’s got a new one out in hard cover called Ask The Passengers that is going on my to-read list for 2013…
- Passenger, by Andrew Smith is a follow-up to The Marbury Lens and is a hallucinogenic thrill ride that is deeply frightening and moving. This is a painful book to read, brutal, gory, with imagery that made me squirm. If you read Marbury then you owe it to yourself to read this as it makes the wonderful worlds created in Marbury expand into even larger more epic (does that even have meaning?) proportions. This book and Smith’s Winger are on two ends of the spectrum in style and content yet they both move from that same incredible strength of voice in their main characters. This book has already won a bunch of awards and I won’t be surprised if it wins more in 2013.
- Playing for Pizza, by John Grisham. Okay, okay. John Grisham? I’ve never read a book by him (nothing against him and I’ve seen his movies just never had the urge to read him) but my father-in-law recommended this book and it was a lot of fun so for its uniqueness it makes the list. This is a book about a football player from the NFL who ends up playing for beer and pizza in Italy. If you enjoy football stories (I do) and Italian food (I do) then you will enjoy this quick and smile inducing read. Something tells me this will be made into a movie…
- Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson is an exhausting read but well worth the trouble. Steve Jobs was not a nice guy and it’s hard reading about your hero and seeing all his warts but if you can get past that it is really a fascinating story of Apple, the computer industry, and Steve Jobs all wrapped up in one. You will never look at Apple the same again (and you will probably still buy ’em or change to them if you have never tried Apple products before).
There you have it. The literary might of the year from my perspective (as limited as it is).
Chop, Chop, Burn…
I’ve been reading a lot.
I read a lot normally but I especially enjoy reading when my day job gets me down. Grant writing, something I have to do to keep my day job, does indeed, gets me down. But it pays the bills so I do it. It’s a particularly stressful and challenging writing exercise that is usually done in some kind of collaborative trance amidst the silent screams of those engaged to tango.
I do not enjoy them, Sam I am, I do not like green grants and ham.
So to keep my sanity I read and write. Because I work so much during these time periods, the writing gets sidelined much of the time but… nobody takes away my subway reading time – that’s gold. Here’s what I’ve read in the last couple of months.
The Drowned Cities, by Paolo Bacigalupi – This is a novel not to be taken lightly. There are severed fingers, death and destruction on a cosmic scale and the re-emergence of a favorite character from Bacigalupi’s award winner Ship Breaker, a dog-face named Tool. This book is an incredibly brutal war story where children are the warriors and children are trained and taught to kill children. It is palpably haunting and way too disturbing for my son to read. Sorry, Max. This one you have to wait on. It’s a book that provides me with reason to screen some of my sons book selections – even though the selections are stellar. For anyone else with a strong stomach, this is a beautifully written winner that you will not easily forget.
Furnace (Lockdown book I, Solitary book II, and Death Sentence book III) by Alexander Gordon Smith – There are five books in the series and seriously, how could you not pick this series up? I found it while I was in the Andrew Smith section. I just happened to see books by an Alexander Smith about a prison named furnace that seemed incredibly hellish and was filled with boys and – it looked terrific. What I will say about this series – which I have stopped reading in the middle of book III – is that it is compelling and fascinating and bloody, and brutal. What I will also say is that I didn’t care so much about the main character and that made it hard to read on. By the middle of book III I just didn’t like him any more. And so Furnace has gone the way of The Game of Thrones, put down because I didn’t want to read about the main character(s) anymore. I think I’m more likely to come back to Furnace though, because I see where Smith is going, I just don’t want to go there right now. I’ll leave this one up to you. If you’ve read the books, let me know what you thought.
I just finished Steve Jobs. I’ve talked about Jobs before, though, and that’s probably enough for the time being. Firm thumbs up on the biography.
My son bought me the first book in The Rangers Apprentice Series by John Flanagan and I have to say it’s shaping up to be a fine fantasy read. Only a few chapters in and I’m totally engaged with the two main characters. I’m a sucker for swords and bows, long knives and shields – though not particularly in that order. More to come when I’m finished.
More book talk later in the week. There’s another one my son swears by and I always read what he thinks is good just as he does with me. I’ve got him reading The Bartimaeus Series by Jonathan Stroud. One of my personal favorites. He’s ripping though the second book as I write this and the moon rises over Jackson Heights.


The best books for kids are ones based in reality.
Elementary school kids love fantasy, but very young kids, with their limited time on earth, are still doing all they can to learn about this world. So give them books that are based on things they can see, touch and experience in their everyday life. Don’t confuse them (and possibly scare them as they get older) with fantasy, myths or fairy tales. Put away books with animals that talk or go to school. YOU may find this boring, but it’s good for THEM to play on the swings in the park and then read a book about a child who plays on the swing, or for them to read books about children who nap, bathe, eat and sleep.
Which is why I love this book. It is based on reality, it’s about all the things you can with your hands, and most of the images are ones little kids can relate to, like waving bye-bye, playing peek-a-boo and putting on shoes. My kids love this book. I’ve been reading it to them for months now, and now, they will read it by themselves and do all the hand gestures that go along with it!
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