Author: Barbara Ewing Publisher: Massey University Press ISBN: 0995109508 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 336
Book Description
This vivid memoir by well-known New Zealand actor and novelist Barbara Ewing covers her tumultuous childhood, adolescence, and young-adulthood in Wellington and Auckland in the 1950s and early 1960s—a very different time—and ends in 1962, when she boards a ship for London to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. It draws heavily on the diaries she kept from the age of twelve, which lead her to some surprising conclusions about memory and truth. Ewing struggled with what would now be diagnosed as anxiety; she had a difficult relationship with her brilliant but frustrated and angry mother, and her decision to somehow learn Maori drew her into a world to which few Pakeha had access. A love affair with a young Maori man destined for greatness was complicated by society's unease about such relationships, and changed them both. Evocative, candid, brave, bright, and darting, this entrancing book takes us to a long-ago New Zealand and to enduring truths about love.
Author: Amanda Beard Publisher: Simon and Schuster ISBN: 1451644388 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 256
Book Description
In a candid and uplifting memoir, international swimming star Beard reveals the truth about coming of age in the Olympic spotlight, the demons she battled along the way, and her newfound happiness.
Author: Wally Lamb Publisher: Cambridge University Press ISBN: 9780060391621 Category : Fiction Languages : en Pages : 884
Book Description
With his stunning debut novel, She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb won the adulation of critics and readers with his mesmerizing tale of one woman's painful yet triumphant journey of self-discovery. Now, this brilliantly talented writer returns with I Know This Much Is True, a heartbreaking and poignant multigenerational saga of the reproductive bonds of destruction and the powerful force of forgiveness. A masterpiece that breathtakingly tells a story of alienation and connection, power and abuse, devastation and renewal--this novel is a contemporary retelling of an ancient Hindu myth. A proud king must confront his demons to achieve salvation. Change yourself, the myth instructs, and you will inhabit a renovated world. When you're the same brother of a schizophrenic identical twin, the tricky thing about saving yourself is the blood it leaves on your bands--the little inconvenience of the look-alike corpse at your feet. And if you're into both survival of the fittest and being your brother's keeper--if you've promised your dying mother--then say so long to sleep and hello to the middle of the night. Grab a book or a beer. Get used to Letterman's gap-toothed smile of the absurd, or the view of the bedroom ceiling, or the influence of random selection. Take it from a godless insomniac. Take it from the uncrazy twin--the guy who beat the biochemical rap. Dominick Birdsey's entire life has been compromised and constricted by anger and fear, by the paranoid schizophrenic twin brother he both deeply loves and resents, and by the past they shared with their adoptive father, Ray, a spit-and-polish ex-Navy man (the five-foot-six-inch sleeping giant who snoozed upstairs weekdays in the spare room and built submarines at night), and their long-suffering mother, Concettina, a timid woman with a harelip that made her shy and self-conscious: She holds a loose fist to her face to cover her defective mouth--her perpetual apology to the world for a birth defect over which she'd had no control. Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities: the seemingly strong and protective yet fearful Dominick, his mother's watchful "monkey"; and the seemingly weak and sweet yet noble Thomas, his mother's gentle "bunny." From childhood, Dominick fights for both separation and wholeness--and ultimately self-protection--in a house of fear dominated by Ray, a bully who abuses his power over these stepsons whose biological father is a mystery. I was still afraid of his anger but saw how he punished weakness--pounced on it. Out of self-preservation I hid my fear, Dominick confesses. As for Thomas, he just never knew how to play defense. He just didn't get it. But Dominick's talent for survival comes at an enormous cost, including the breakup of his marriage to the warm, beautiful Dessa, whom he still loves. And it will be put to the ultimate test when Thomas, a Bible-spouting zealot, commits an unthinkable act that threatens the tenuous balance of both his and Dominick's lives. To save himself, Dominick must confront not only the pain of his past but the dark secrets he has locked deep within himself, and the sins of his ancestors--a quest that will lead him beyond the confines of his blue-collar New England town to the volcanic foothills of Sicily 's Mount Etna, where his ambitious and vengefully proud grandfather and a namesake Domenico Tempesta, the sostegno del famiglia, was born. Each of the stories Ma told us about Papa reinforced the message that he was the boss, that he ruled the roost, that what he said went. Searching for answers, Dominick turns to the whispers of the dead, to the pages of his grandfather's handwritten memoir, The History of Domenico Onofrio Tempesta, a Great Man from Humble Beginnings. Rendered with touches of magic realism, Domenico's fablelike tale--in which monkeys enchant and religious statues weep--becomes the old man's confession--an unwitting legacy of contrition that reveals the truth's of Domenico's life, Dominick learns that power, wrongly used, defeats the oppressor as well as the oppressed, and now, picking through the humble shards of his deconstructed life, he will search for the courage and love to forgive, to expiate his and his ancestors' transgressions, and finally to rebuild himself beyond the haunted shadow of his twin. Set against the vivid panoply of twentieth-century America and filled with richly drawn, memorable characters, this deeply moving and thoroughly satisfying novel brings to light humanity's deepest needs and fears, our aloneness, our desire for love and acceptance, our struggle to survive at all costs. Joyous, mystical, and exquisitely written, I Know This Much Is True is an extraordinary reading experience that will leave no reader untouched.
Author: Michelle Zauner Publisher: Vintage ISBN: 0525657754 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 257
Book Description
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love, and growing up Korean American—“in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to life, Zauner became herself” (NPR). • CELEBRATING OVER ONE YEAR ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother's particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother's tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the East Coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, and performing gigs with her fledgling band--and meeting the man who would become her husband--her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother's diagnosis of terminal cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her. Vivacious and plainspoken, lyrical and honest, Zauner's voice is as radiantly alive on the page as it is onstage. Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, and complete with family photos, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread.
Author: Dawn Barton Publisher: Thomas Nelson ISBN: 1400217776 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 223
Book Description
Do you believe that joy is a choice? Dawn Barton does. She's an upbeat Southerner with good hair and a successful business background, but she's had more heartache than most of us can imagine. Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is a collection of honest and sometimes raw stories. Dawn throws an arm around readers as she brings them along on her journey through the loss of a child, divorce, cancer, rape, the death of her only sibling, her husband's substance abuse, and finding her way back to Jesus in the middle of it all. Dawn shares her personal story to show readers how to find happiness and purpose even in the darkest of days. By laughing through the ugly cry, you will discover how to: Shut down negative feelings causing you to feel inadequate Identify the pros despite how challenging the cons may seem Embrace joy wherever you can find it Learn how to be honest with yourself and process grief in a healthy way Dawn writes, "If more women were open about just how difficult our lives feel and how hard we are on ourselves, I think we'd learn to relax a little and give ourselves the grace God gives us every day." Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is great for: Women of any age seeking comfort, encouragement, and inspiration Book clubs and girls' nights--Dawn poses thoughtful group questions to support meaningful conversations about growth and joy
Author: Natalie Willes Publisher: Natalie Willes ISBN: 9780999086704 Category : Languages : en Pages :
Book Description
Certified sleep consultant Natalie Willes, known also as The Baby Sleep Trainer, shares her effective and efficient sleep training method in her new book, Getting Your Baby to Sleep the Baby Sleep Trainer Way. Thousands of families throughout the world have used the Baby Sleep Trainer method to help their infants and toddlers learn to sleep through the night and take healthy naps, all with the fewest tears possible. Backed by thorough scientific data and years of professional experience, the Baby Sleep Trainer Method offers parents a tried and true solution for children aged 16 weeks through 3.5 years. Step-by-step, comprehensive contents include: The science of baby sleep habits How to prepare your child's room for optimal sleep Discussions on cortisol and crying in babies Creating healthy sleep habits with newborns Exactly when and how to start sleep training for nighttime sleep and naps Tips and tricks for multiples Troubleshooting common sleep training issues and pitfalls Detailed eat-wake-sleep schedules for children on 3, 2, and 1 nap Sleep training toddlers and children in beds Praise for the Baby Sleep Trainer method: "My 5 month old was waking up every 2-3 hours at night and I was seriously sleep deprived. My sleep deprivation was affecting every aspect of my life. I read several books on sleep training, as well as blogs and websites. I was at my wits end. After following the program for two weeks, my child was consistently sleeping 11-12 hours a night and was on a consistent schedule during the day! This program has literally given me my life back." - McKel Neilsen "Two months ago I was at the end of my sleep rope with our 6-month-old, boy/girl twins. Exhausted doesn't begin to explain it, I felt desperate. After using the Baby Sleep Trainer Method we feel like we have our lives back. The babies are happy and well rested, and so are we! We have our evenings back to cook dinner, spend time with our 4-year-old daughter, hang out together, and actually do things we enjoy. The process took commitment but has been absolutely worth every bit of it." - Beth Oller, MD "Using the Baby Sleep Trainer Method, my daughter quickly went to a routine nap schedule during the day and sleeping through the night from 6:30pm to 6:30am! Also, rather than the exhausting and often unsuccessful rocking or soothing or feeding to sleep, we were able to put her down awake in her crib and she would fall asleep on her own in just a few minutes. It was just incredible." - Online Review
Author: Hanya Yanagihara Publisher: Vintage ISBN: 0804172706 Category : Fiction Languages : en Pages : 833
Book Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century. NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE A Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise.
Author: Eilene Zimmerman Publisher: Random House ISBN: 0525511008 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 273
Book Description
A journalist pieces together the mysteries surrounding her ex-husband’s descent into drug addiction while trying to rebuild a life for her family, taking readers on an intimate journey into the world of white-collar drug abuse. “A rare combination of journalistic rigor, personal courage, and writerly grace.”—Bill Clegg, author of Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man Something was wrong with Peter. Eilene Zimmerman noticed that her ex-husband looked thin, seemed distracted, and was frequently absent from activities with their children. She thought he looked sick and needed to see a doctor, and indeed, he told her he had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. Yet in many ways, Peter seemed to have it all: a beautiful house by the beach, expensive cars, and other luxuries that came with an affluent life. Eilene assumed his odd behavior was due to stress and overwork—he was a senior partner at a prominent law firm and had been working more than sixty hours a week for the last twenty years. Although they were divorced, Eilene and Peter had been partners and friends for decades, so when she and her children were unable to reach Peter for several days, Eilene went to his house to see if he was OK. So begins Smacked, a brilliant and moving memoir of Eilene’s shocking discovery, one that sets her on a journey to find out how a man she knew for nearly thirty years became a drug addict, hiding it so well that neither she nor anyone else in his life suspected what was happening. Eilene discovers that Peter led a secret life, one that started with pills and ended with opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamine. He was also addicted to work; the last call Peter ever made was to dial in to a conference call. Eilene is determined to learn all she can about Peter’s hidden life, and also about drug addiction among ambitious, high-achieving professionals like him. Through extensive research and interviews, she presents a picture of drug dependence today in that moneyed, upwardly mobile world. She also embarks on a journey to re-create her life in the wake of loss, both of the person—and the relationship—that profoundly defined the woman she had become.
Author: Bonnie L. Engstrom Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor ISBN: 1612783279 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 103
Book Description
"You mean sixty-one seconds. You said sixty-one minutes, but you mean a little over one minute." "No," I said. "He didn’t have a pulse for over an hour." After a healthy pregnancy, on September 16, 2010, Bonnie L. Engstrom delivered a stillborn baby boy. After sixty-one minutes, just when the doctors were going to call a time of death, James Fulton’s heart began to beat. In that sixty-one minutes, the Engstrom’s been asking for and counting on the powerful intercession of James’s namesake: Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. That James was alive at all was a miracle. But the rest of the story is even more amazing. While the Engstroms were preparing for their little boy to grow up blind, unable to walk or talk, and be fed by a tube for the rest of his life, another miracle occurred. Against all medical odds, James not only survived, but he began — and continues — to thrive. In 2014, medical experts and theological advisors to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints unanimously approved the miracle. This amazing true story, full of weakness and strength, heartbreak and celebration, hope and joy, teaches us that through our faith in Christ and the prayers of the great cloud of witnesses, miracles are possible. "Believe the incredible, and you can do the impossible." – Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Author: Barbara Ewing
Author: Amanda Beard
Author: Wally Lamb
Author: Michelle Zauner
Author: Dawn Barton
Author: 
Author: Natalie Willes
Author: Hanya Yanagihara
Author: Eilene Zimmerman
Author: Bonnie L. Engstrom