Author: Fan Wen
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1922265454
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 36474
Book Description
Who is Zhao Xun? For those around him, the answer to this question is unclear. In KMT-occupied Kunming, Yunnan Province, a mist of uncertainty has already filled the air, and false names have become the norm. With the city’s liberation at the hands of the Communist Army, this trend only intensifies. My Country, My Blood traces the life story of former KMT officer who spends his entire life living in Yunnan. It relays stories of opera troupes operating behind the frontlines, student groups resisting tyrannical governments, and the reshuffling of the social order that followed the Chinese Civil War. Grand in scope, My Country, My Blood pushes through the period of establishing a new government clear through to the time of healing marked by China’s Opening Up to the world. Along the way, you will slowly piece together the puzzle of shifting pseudonyms, discovering who the characters actually are and the complicated, twisting paths that bring them together amid the throes of war. Painting a vibrant picture of how China came to be what it is today, My Country, My Blood is a story of war, revolution, and healing. As gripping as it is informative, this piece of fiction is truly a gem of modern Chinese literature.
My Country, My Blood
Author: Fan Wen
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1922265454
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 36474
Book Description
Who is Zhao Xun? For those around him, the answer to this question is unclear. In KMT-occupied Kunming, Yunnan Province, a mist of uncertainty has already filled the air, and false names have become the norm. With the city’s liberation at the hands of the Communist Army, this trend only intensifies. My Country, My Blood traces the life story of former KMT officer who spends his entire life living in Yunnan. It relays stories of opera troupes operating behind the frontlines, student groups resisting tyrannical governments, and the reshuffling of the social order that followed the Chinese Civil War. Grand in scope, My Country, My Blood pushes through the period of establishing a new government clear through to the time of healing marked by China’s Opening Up to the world. Along the way, you will slowly piece together the puzzle of shifting pseudonyms, discovering who the characters actually are and the complicated, twisting paths that bring them together amid the throes of war. Painting a vibrant picture of how China came to be what it is today, My Country, My Blood is a story of war, revolution, and healing. As gripping as it is informative, this piece of fiction is truly a gem of modern Chinese literature.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1922265454
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 36474
Book Description
Who is Zhao Xun? For those around him, the answer to this question is unclear. In KMT-occupied Kunming, Yunnan Province, a mist of uncertainty has already filled the air, and false names have become the norm. With the city’s liberation at the hands of the Communist Army, this trend only intensifies. My Country, My Blood traces the life story of former KMT officer who spends his entire life living in Yunnan. It relays stories of opera troupes operating behind the frontlines, student groups resisting tyrannical governments, and the reshuffling of the social order that followed the Chinese Civil War. Grand in scope, My Country, My Blood pushes through the period of establishing a new government clear through to the time of healing marked by China’s Opening Up to the world. Along the way, you will slowly piece together the puzzle of shifting pseudonyms, discovering who the characters actually are and the complicated, twisting paths that bring them together amid the throes of war. Painting a vibrant picture of how China came to be what it is today, My Country, My Blood is a story of war, revolution, and healing. As gripping as it is informative, this piece of fiction is truly a gem of modern Chinese literature.
My Blood's Country
Author: Fiona Capp
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 1741754879
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 236
Book Description
Fiona Capp first met Judith Wright when she came to speak at Fiona's school speech night. From that early meeting, Wright's poetry became a continuous source of inspiration to Fiona and they started a lifelong correspondence that only ended with Judith's death. In this lyrical and beautiful memoir, Fiona Capp sets herself on a quest to discover more about Judith Wright and the landscape that inspired her.
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 1741754879
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 236
Book Description
Fiona Capp first met Judith Wright when she came to speak at Fiona's school speech night. From that early meeting, Wright's poetry became a continuous source of inspiration to Fiona and they started a lifelong correspondence that only ended with Judith's death. In this lyrical and beautiful memoir, Fiona Capp sets herself on a quest to discover more about Judith Wright and the landscape that inspired her.
Blood in the Low Country
Author: Paul Attaway
Publisher: Linksland Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 268
Book Description
Blood in the Low Country, the first of the Atkins Family Low Country Sagas, tells the story of a southern family living in Charleston, South Carolina in 1973. The book follows the lives of Monty Atkins, his wife Rose, and their sons Eli and Walker. Rose’s childhood is plagued by poverty, abuse, and tragedy. Determined to prove she’s better than her past, she relentlessly pushes her sons to succeed in proper Charleston society. When Rose’s oldest son Eli, the product of her first, failed marriage, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Kimberly, Rose fears losing everything. Monty believes his son is innocent and hires a detective to find the killer. But when the murderer is revealed, Monty’s marriage and everything he holds true are tested. Can Monty and Rose save their family and confront Rose’s demons? Only time will tell. A story of love, faith, and redemption, Blood in the Low Country is a must-read for fans of Southern family sagas.
Publisher: Linksland Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 268
Book Description
Blood in the Low Country, the first of the Atkins Family Low Country Sagas, tells the story of a southern family living in Charleston, South Carolina in 1973. The book follows the lives of Monty Atkins, his wife Rose, and their sons Eli and Walker. Rose’s childhood is plagued by poverty, abuse, and tragedy. Determined to prove she’s better than her past, she relentlessly pushes her sons to succeed in proper Charleston society. When Rose’s oldest son Eli, the product of her first, failed marriage, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Kimberly, Rose fears losing everything. Monty believes his son is innocent and hires a detective to find the killer. But when the murderer is revealed, Monty’s marriage and everything he holds true are tested. Can Monty and Rose save their family and confront Rose’s demons? Only time will tell. A story of love, faith, and redemption, Blood in the Low Country is a must-read for fans of Southern family sagas.
Blood Done Sign My Name
Author: Timothy B. Tyson
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0307419932
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
The “riveting”* true story of the fiery summer of 1970, which would forever transform the town of Oxford, North Carolina—a classic portrait of the fight for civil rights in the tradition of To Kill a Mockingbird *Chicago Tribune On May 11, 1970, Henry Marrow, a twenty-three-year-old black veteran, walked into a crossroads store owned by Robert Teel and came out running. Teel and two of his sons chased and beat Marrow, then killed him in public as he pleaded for his life. Like many small Southern towns, Oxford had barely been touched by the civil rights movement. But in the wake of the killing, young African Americans took to the streets. While lawyers battled in the courthouse, the Klan raged in the shadows and black Vietnam veterans torched the town’s tobacco warehouses. Tyson’s father, the pastor of Oxford’s all-white Methodist church, urged the town to come to terms with its bloody racial history. In the end, however, the Tyson family was forced to move away. Tim Tyson’s gripping narrative brings gritty blues truth and soaring gospel vision to a shocking episode of our history. FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD “If you want to read only one book to understand the uniquely American struggle for racial equality and the swirls of emotion around it, this is it.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Blood Done Sign My Name is a most important book and one of the most powerful meditations on race in America that I have ever read.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer “Pulses with vital paradox . . . It’s a detached dissertation, a damning dark-night-of-the-white-soul, and a ripping yarn, all united by Tyson’s powerful voice, a brainy, booming Bubba profundo.”—Entertainment Weekly “Engaging and frequently stunning.”—San Diego Union-Tribune
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0307419932
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
The “riveting”* true story of the fiery summer of 1970, which would forever transform the town of Oxford, North Carolina—a classic portrait of the fight for civil rights in the tradition of To Kill a Mockingbird *Chicago Tribune On May 11, 1970, Henry Marrow, a twenty-three-year-old black veteran, walked into a crossroads store owned by Robert Teel and came out running. Teel and two of his sons chased and beat Marrow, then killed him in public as he pleaded for his life. Like many small Southern towns, Oxford had barely been touched by the civil rights movement. But in the wake of the killing, young African Americans took to the streets. While lawyers battled in the courthouse, the Klan raged in the shadows and black Vietnam veterans torched the town’s tobacco warehouses. Tyson’s father, the pastor of Oxford’s all-white Methodist church, urged the town to come to terms with its bloody racial history. In the end, however, the Tyson family was forced to move away. Tim Tyson’s gripping narrative brings gritty blues truth and soaring gospel vision to a shocking episode of our history. FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD “If you want to read only one book to understand the uniquely American struggle for racial equality and the swirls of emotion around it, this is it.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Blood Done Sign My Name is a most important book and one of the most powerful meditations on race in America that I have ever read.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer “Pulses with vital paradox . . . It’s a detached dissertation, a damning dark-night-of-the-white-soul, and a ripping yarn, all united by Tyson’s powerful voice, a brainy, booming Bubba profundo.”—Entertainment Weekly “Engaging and frequently stunning.”—San Diego Union-Tribune
Blood Country
Author: Jonathan Janz
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1787586642
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 184
Book Description
“If you’re searching the horror horizon for a dark star, your next must-read, the silhouette you see coming your way is Jonathan Janz.”— Josh Malerman, New York Times best selling author of Bird Box Book 2 in The Raven series Three years ago the world ended when a group of rogue scientists unleashed a virus that awakened long-dormant strands of human DNA. They awakened the bestial side of humankind: werewolves, satyrs, and all manner of bloodthirsty creatures. Within months, nearly every man, woman, or child was transformed into a monster…or slaughtered by one. A rare survivor without special powers, Dez McClane has been fighting for his life since mankind fell, including a tense barfight that ended in a cataclysmic inferno. Dez would never have survived the battle without Iris, a woman he’s falling for but can never be with because of the monster inside her. Now Dez’s ex-girlfriend and Iris’s young daughter have been taken hostage by an even greater evil, the dominant species in this hellish new world: Vampires. The bloodthirsty creatures have transformed a four-story school building into their fortress, and they’re holding Dez’s ex-girlfriend and Iris’s young daughter captive. To save them, Dez and his friends must risk everything. They must infiltrate the vampires’ stronghold and face unspeakable terrors. Because death awaits them in the fortress. Or something far worse. FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1787586642
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 184
Book Description
“If you’re searching the horror horizon for a dark star, your next must-read, the silhouette you see coming your way is Jonathan Janz.”— Josh Malerman, New York Times best selling author of Bird Box Book 2 in The Raven series Three years ago the world ended when a group of rogue scientists unleashed a virus that awakened long-dormant strands of human DNA. They awakened the bestial side of humankind: werewolves, satyrs, and all manner of bloodthirsty creatures. Within months, nearly every man, woman, or child was transformed into a monster…or slaughtered by one. A rare survivor without special powers, Dez McClane has been fighting for his life since mankind fell, including a tense barfight that ended in a cataclysmic inferno. Dez would never have survived the battle without Iris, a woman he’s falling for but can never be with because of the monster inside her. Now Dez’s ex-girlfriend and Iris’s young daughter have been taken hostage by an even greater evil, the dominant species in this hellish new world: Vampires. The bloodthirsty creatures have transformed a four-story school building into their fortress, and they’re holding Dez’s ex-girlfriend and Iris’s young daughter captive. To save them, Dez and his friends must risk everything. They must infiltrate the vampires’ stronghold and face unspeakable terrors. Because death awaits them in the fortress. Or something far worse. FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress.
Eat My Flesh And Drink My Blood
Author: Rev. Paul C. Jong
Publisher: Hephzibah Publishing House
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
Table of Contents 1. What Use Are These Small Loaves and Fish to Many People? (John 6:1-15) 2. To Believe in Him Whom God Appointed Is the Work of God (John 6:16-29) 3. Work for the Food That Endures to Everlasting Life (John 6:16-40) 4. Living According to the Spirit (John 6:26-40) 5. Work for the Food That Does Not Perish on This Earth (John 6:26-59) 6. We Must Eat the Bread from Heaven by the Faith in the Gospel of the Water and the Spirit (John 6:28-58) 7. Jesus Christ, Who Became the Bread of Life to Us (John 6:41-51) 8. How Can We Eat the Flesh of Jesus? (John 6:41-59) 9. Believe in Jesus Who Came from Heaven as Your Savior in Your Heart (John 6:41-51) 10. Jesus Has Given Us the True Everlasting Life! (John 6:47-51) 11. How to Participate in Holy Communion with the Right Faith (John 6:52-59) 12. Jesus, Who Has Given Us the Bread of Life (John 6:54-63) 13. You Must Preach the Flesh and the Blood of Jesus to Your Family Members (John 6:51-56) 14. For What Should We Live? (John 6:63-69) 15. We Must Have the Proper Knowledge of the Truth (John 6:60-71) Jesus Has Given Us Everlasting Life through His Own Flesh and Blood. The Church keeps two sacraments commanded by Jesus. One is baptism, and the other is Holy Communion. We take part in Communion to ruminate on the gospel of Truth revealed through its bread and wine, in remembrance of this gospel. In the rite of Holy Communion, we eat the bread in remembrance of the flesh of Jesus, and drink the wine as the ceremony of His blood. As such, the real meaning of Holy Communion is to strengthen our faith in the Truth that Jesus has saved us from the sins of the world and given us everlasting life through His baptism and His death on the Cross. However, the problem is that almost all Christians take part in Holy Communion only formally, without even realizing what Jesus meant by the phrase, "My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed"(John 6:55). Therefore, within the gospel of the water and the Spirit, we need to once again focus on the meaning of Jesus' commandment to eat His flesh and drink His blood, and believe in it. The New Life Mission https://www.bjnewlife.org
Publisher: Hephzibah Publishing House
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
Table of Contents 1. What Use Are These Small Loaves and Fish to Many People? (John 6:1-15) 2. To Believe in Him Whom God Appointed Is the Work of God (John 6:16-29) 3. Work for the Food That Endures to Everlasting Life (John 6:16-40) 4. Living According to the Spirit (John 6:26-40) 5. Work for the Food That Does Not Perish on This Earth (John 6:26-59) 6. We Must Eat the Bread from Heaven by the Faith in the Gospel of the Water and the Spirit (John 6:28-58) 7. Jesus Christ, Who Became the Bread of Life to Us (John 6:41-51) 8. How Can We Eat the Flesh of Jesus? (John 6:41-59) 9. Believe in Jesus Who Came from Heaven as Your Savior in Your Heart (John 6:41-51) 10. Jesus Has Given Us the True Everlasting Life! (John 6:47-51) 11. How to Participate in Holy Communion with the Right Faith (John 6:52-59) 12. Jesus, Who Has Given Us the Bread of Life (John 6:54-63) 13. You Must Preach the Flesh and the Blood of Jesus to Your Family Members (John 6:51-56) 14. For What Should We Live? (John 6:63-69) 15. We Must Have the Proper Knowledge of the Truth (John 6:60-71) Jesus Has Given Us Everlasting Life through His Own Flesh and Blood. The Church keeps two sacraments commanded by Jesus. One is baptism, and the other is Holy Communion. We take part in Communion to ruminate on the gospel of Truth revealed through its bread and wine, in remembrance of this gospel. In the rite of Holy Communion, we eat the bread in remembrance of the flesh of Jesus, and drink the wine as the ceremony of His blood. As such, the real meaning of Holy Communion is to strengthen our faith in the Truth that Jesus has saved us from the sins of the world and given us everlasting life through His baptism and His death on the Cross. However, the problem is that almost all Christians take part in Holy Communion only formally, without even realizing what Jesus meant by the phrase, "My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed"(John 6:55). Therefore, within the gospel of the water and the Spirit, we need to once again focus on the meaning of Jesus' commandment to eat His flesh and drink His blood, and believe in it. The New Life Mission https://www.bjnewlife.org
Crossing the Suez Canal
Author: Samy Ibrahim
Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 319
Book Description
“ Book Endorsement” To write about this book brings me honor and joy. For these recollections clearly show the greatness, ability, love, and protection of the Lord. To Him be the glory. It also shows the greatness of what Engineer Samy Hanna Ibrahim did in the October 1973 war. After he himself ascended it, he penetrated the high earth wall and crossed the Egyptian forces assigned to his crossing access from the west of the Suez Canal to the eastern shore. Thus, he contributed to the victory of a war, which returned Sinai to Egypt. That return changed Egypt for the better after its setback in June 1967. Dr. Mufeed Ibrahim Said, retired professor of surgery and former chair of the department of surgery, at Cairo University, Arab Republic of Egypt I am pleased to present to the reader this book whose author aims with every story, in every situation, and at every memory to testify about God's continuous work, steadfast support, and God's ever-flowing grace. The book recounts the life story of an ordinary person who placed himself, his being, and the details of his life in the hands of God. We go on a journey with the writer, in which he takes us to the different stations of his life, especially the period he spent as an officer in the Egyptian Armed Forces during the glorious October War in 1973. --Dr. Rev. Youssef Samir Senior Pastor of the Evangelical Church in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt
Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 319
Book Description
“ Book Endorsement” To write about this book brings me honor and joy. For these recollections clearly show the greatness, ability, love, and protection of the Lord. To Him be the glory. It also shows the greatness of what Engineer Samy Hanna Ibrahim did in the October 1973 war. After he himself ascended it, he penetrated the high earth wall and crossed the Egyptian forces assigned to his crossing access from the west of the Suez Canal to the eastern shore. Thus, he contributed to the victory of a war, which returned Sinai to Egypt. That return changed Egypt for the better after its setback in June 1967. Dr. Mufeed Ibrahim Said, retired professor of surgery and former chair of the department of surgery, at Cairo University, Arab Republic of Egypt I am pleased to present to the reader this book whose author aims with every story, in every situation, and at every memory to testify about God's continuous work, steadfast support, and God's ever-flowing grace. The book recounts the life story of an ordinary person who placed himself, his being, and the details of his life in the hands of God. We go on a journey with the writer, in which he takes us to the different stations of his life, especially the period he spent as an officer in the Egyptian Armed Forces during the glorious October War in 1973. --Dr. Rev. Youssef Samir Senior Pastor of the Evangelical Church in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt
Blood Country
Author: Mary Logue
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1440532966
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 361
Book Description
This first in a series launch introduces Claire Watkins, a deputy sheriff for the Pepin County Police Department. Claire, a former Minneapolis police detective, and her 10-year-old daughter Meg fled the Twin Cities after her husband, Steve, also a cop, was killed. When Landers Anderson--an elderly neighbor who befriended Claire and Meg--dies of a heart attack after being sideswiped with a shovel, Claire determines to find the culprit. This involves delving into Landers's family history and investigating the machinations of a right-wing group, Homeowners of America, that is buying up property to build an environmentally unsound development. At the same time, Meg fearfully admits to Claire that she saw the man who killed Steve. Claire contacts her former partner, Det. Bruce Jacobs, and prods him into accelerating the investigation into Steve's death.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1440532966
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 361
Book Description
This first in a series launch introduces Claire Watkins, a deputy sheriff for the Pepin County Police Department. Claire, a former Minneapolis police detective, and her 10-year-old daughter Meg fled the Twin Cities after her husband, Steve, also a cop, was killed. When Landers Anderson--an elderly neighbor who befriended Claire and Meg--dies of a heart attack after being sideswiped with a shovel, Claire determines to find the culprit. This involves delving into Landers's family history and investigating the machinations of a right-wing group, Homeowners of America, that is buying up property to build an environmentally unsound development. At the same time, Meg fearfully admits to Claire that she saw the man who killed Steve. Claire contacts her former partner, Det. Bruce Jacobs, and prods him into accelerating the investigation into Steve's death.
Blood on the Tracks
Author: Willson, S. Brian
Publisher: PM Press
ISBN: 160486592X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 749
Book Description
“We are not worth more, they are not worth less.” This is the mantra of S. Brian Willson and the theme that runs throughout his compelling psycho-historical memoir. Willson’s story begins in small-town, rural America, where he grew up as a “Commie-hating, baseball-loving Baptist,” moves through life-changing experiences in Viet Nam, Nicaragua and elsewhere, and culminates with his commitment to a localized, sustainable lifestyle. In telling his story, Willson provides numerous examples of the types of personal, risk-taking, nonviolent actions he and others have taken in attempts to educate and effect political change: tax refusal—which requires simplification of one’s lifestyle; fasting—done publicly in strategic political and/or therapeutic spiritual contexts; and obstruction tactics—strategically placing one’s body in the way of “business as usual.” It was such actions that thrust Brian Willson into the public eye in the mid-’80s, first as a participant in a high-profile, water-only “Veterans Fast for Life” against the Contra war being waged by his government in Nicaragua. Then, on a fateful day in September 1987, the world watched in horror as Willson was run over by a U.S. government munitions train during a nonviolent blocking action in which he expected to be removed from the tracks and arrested. Losing his legs only strengthened Willson’s identity with millions of unnamed victims of U.S. policy around the world. He provides details of his travels to countries in Latin America and the Middle East and bears witness to the harm done to poor people as well as to the environment by the steamroller of U.S. imperialism. These heart-rending accounts are offered side by side with inspirational stories of nonviolent struggle and the survival of resilient communities Willson’s expanding consciousness also uncovers injustices within his own country, including insights gained through his study and service within the U.S. criminal justice system and personal experiences addressing racial injustices. He discusses coming to terms with his identity as a Viet Nam veteran and the subsequent service he provides to others as director of a veterans outreach center in New England. He draws much inspiration from friends he encounters along the way as he finds himself continually drawn to the path leading to a simpler life that seeks to “do no harm.&rdquo Throughout his personal journey Willson struggles with the question, “Why was it so easy for me, a ’good’ man, to follow orders to travel 9,000 miles from home to participate in killing people who clearly were not a threat to me or any of my fellow citizens?” He eventually comes to the realization that the “American Way of Life” is AWOL from humanity, and that the only way to recover our humanity is by changing our consciousness, one individual at a time, while striving for collective cultural changes toward “less and local.” Thus, Willson offers up his personal story as a metaphorical map for anyone who feels the need to be liberated from the American Way of Life—a guidebook for anyone called by conscience to question continued obedience to vertical power structures while longing to reconnect with the human archetypes of cooperation, equity, mutual respect and empathy.
Publisher: PM Press
ISBN: 160486592X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 749
Book Description
“We are not worth more, they are not worth less.” This is the mantra of S. Brian Willson and the theme that runs throughout his compelling psycho-historical memoir. Willson’s story begins in small-town, rural America, where he grew up as a “Commie-hating, baseball-loving Baptist,” moves through life-changing experiences in Viet Nam, Nicaragua and elsewhere, and culminates with his commitment to a localized, sustainable lifestyle. In telling his story, Willson provides numerous examples of the types of personal, risk-taking, nonviolent actions he and others have taken in attempts to educate and effect political change: tax refusal—which requires simplification of one’s lifestyle; fasting—done publicly in strategic political and/or therapeutic spiritual contexts; and obstruction tactics—strategically placing one’s body in the way of “business as usual.” It was such actions that thrust Brian Willson into the public eye in the mid-’80s, first as a participant in a high-profile, water-only “Veterans Fast for Life” against the Contra war being waged by his government in Nicaragua. Then, on a fateful day in September 1987, the world watched in horror as Willson was run over by a U.S. government munitions train during a nonviolent blocking action in which he expected to be removed from the tracks and arrested. Losing his legs only strengthened Willson’s identity with millions of unnamed victims of U.S. policy around the world. He provides details of his travels to countries in Latin America and the Middle East and bears witness to the harm done to poor people as well as to the environment by the steamroller of U.S. imperialism. These heart-rending accounts are offered side by side with inspirational stories of nonviolent struggle and the survival of resilient communities Willson’s expanding consciousness also uncovers injustices within his own country, including insights gained through his study and service within the U.S. criminal justice system and personal experiences addressing racial injustices. He discusses coming to terms with his identity as a Viet Nam veteran and the subsequent service he provides to others as director of a veterans outreach center in New England. He draws much inspiration from friends he encounters along the way as he finds himself continually drawn to the path leading to a simpler life that seeks to “do no harm.&rdquo Throughout his personal journey Willson struggles with the question, “Why was it so easy for me, a ’good’ man, to follow orders to travel 9,000 miles from home to participate in killing people who clearly were not a threat to me or any of my fellow citizens?” He eventually comes to the realization that the “American Way of Life” is AWOL from humanity, and that the only way to recover our humanity is by changing our consciousness, one individual at a time, while striving for collective cultural changes toward “less and local.” Thus, Willson offers up his personal story as a metaphorical map for anyone who feels the need to be liberated from the American Way of Life—a guidebook for anyone called by conscience to question continued obedience to vertical power structures while longing to reconnect with the human archetypes of cooperation, equity, mutual respect and empathy.
War, Exile and the Music of Afghanistan
Author: John Baily
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1315466929
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
In the 1970s John Baily conducted extensive ethnomusicological research in Afghanistan, principally in the city of Herat but also in Kabul. Then, with Taraki’s coup in 1978, came conflict, war, and the dispersal of many musicians to locations far and wide. This new publication is the culmination of Baily’s further research on Afghan music over the 35 years that followed. This took him to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, the USA, Australia and parts of Europe - London, Hamburg and Dublin. Arranged chronologically, the narrative traces the sequence of political events - from 1978, through the Soviet invasion, to the coming of the Taliban and, finally, the aftermath of the US-led invasion in 2001. He examines the effects of the ever-changing situation on the lives and works of Afghan musicians, following individual musicians in fascinating detail. At the heart of his analysis are privileged vignettes of ten musical personalities - some of friends, and some newly discovered. The result is a remarkable personal memoir by an eminent ethnomusicologist known for his deep commitment to Afghanistan, Afghan musicians and Afghan musical culture. John Baily is also an ethnographic filmmaker. Four of his films relating to his research are included on the downloadable resources that accompanies the text.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1315466929
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
In the 1970s John Baily conducted extensive ethnomusicological research in Afghanistan, principally in the city of Herat but also in Kabul. Then, with Taraki’s coup in 1978, came conflict, war, and the dispersal of many musicians to locations far and wide. This new publication is the culmination of Baily’s further research on Afghan music over the 35 years that followed. This took him to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, the USA, Australia and parts of Europe - London, Hamburg and Dublin. Arranged chronologically, the narrative traces the sequence of political events - from 1978, through the Soviet invasion, to the coming of the Taliban and, finally, the aftermath of the US-led invasion in 2001. He examines the effects of the ever-changing situation on the lives and works of Afghan musicians, following individual musicians in fascinating detail. At the heart of his analysis are privileged vignettes of ten musical personalities - some of friends, and some newly discovered. The result is a remarkable personal memoir by an eminent ethnomusicologist known for his deep commitment to Afghanistan, Afghan musicians and Afghan musical culture. John Baily is also an ethnographic filmmaker. Four of his films relating to his research are included on the downloadable resources that accompanies the text.