Author: Katie Crouch
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0374711364
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 368
Book Description
"A smart, sparkling novel that is one part social satire, one part travelogue . . . Comical and cool.” —Oprah Daily In Katie Crouch's thrilling novel Embassy Wife, two women abroad search for the truth about their husbands—and their country. Meet Persephone Wilder, a displaced genius posing as the wife of an American diplomat in Namibia. Persephone takes her job as a representative of her country seriously, coming up with an intricate set of rules to survive the problems she encounters: how to dress in hundred-degree weather without showing too much skin, how not to look drunk at embassy functions, and how to eat roasted oryx with grace. She also suspects her husband is not actually the ambassador’s legal counsel but a secret agent in the CIA. The consummate embassy wife, she takes the newest trailing spouse, Amanda Evans, under her wing. Amanda arrives in Namibia mere weeks after giving up her Silicon Valley job so her husband, Mark, can have his family close by as he works on his Fulbright project. But once they’re settled in the sub-Saharan desert, Amanda sees clearly that Mark, who lived in Namibia two decades earlier, has other reasons for returning. Back in the safety of home, the marriage had seemed solid; in the glaring heat of the Kalahari, it feels tenuous. And the situation grows even more fraught when their daughter becomes involved in an international conflict and their own government won’t stand up for her. How far will Amanda go to keep her family intact? How much corruption can Persephone ignore? And what, exactly, does it mean to be an American abroad when you’re not sure you understand your country anymore? Propulsive and provocative, Embassy Wife asks what it means to be a human in this world, even as it helps us laugh in the face of our own absurd, seemingly impossible states of affairs.
Embassy Wife
Author: Katie Crouch
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0374711364
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 368
Book Description
"A smart, sparkling novel that is one part social satire, one part travelogue . . . Comical and cool.” —Oprah Daily In Katie Crouch's thrilling novel Embassy Wife, two women abroad search for the truth about their husbands—and their country. Meet Persephone Wilder, a displaced genius posing as the wife of an American diplomat in Namibia. Persephone takes her job as a representative of her country seriously, coming up with an intricate set of rules to survive the problems she encounters: how to dress in hundred-degree weather without showing too much skin, how not to look drunk at embassy functions, and how to eat roasted oryx with grace. She also suspects her husband is not actually the ambassador’s legal counsel but a secret agent in the CIA. The consummate embassy wife, she takes the newest trailing spouse, Amanda Evans, under her wing. Amanda arrives in Namibia mere weeks after giving up her Silicon Valley job so her husband, Mark, can have his family close by as he works on his Fulbright project. But once they’re settled in the sub-Saharan desert, Amanda sees clearly that Mark, who lived in Namibia two decades earlier, has other reasons for returning. Back in the safety of home, the marriage had seemed solid; in the glaring heat of the Kalahari, it feels tenuous. And the situation grows even more fraught when their daughter becomes involved in an international conflict and their own government won’t stand up for her. How far will Amanda go to keep her family intact? How much corruption can Persephone ignore? And what, exactly, does it mean to be an American abroad when you’re not sure you understand your country anymore? Propulsive and provocative, Embassy Wife asks what it means to be a human in this world, even as it helps us laugh in the face of our own absurd, seemingly impossible states of affairs.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0374711364
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 368
Book Description
"A smart, sparkling novel that is one part social satire, one part travelogue . . . Comical and cool.” —Oprah Daily In Katie Crouch's thrilling novel Embassy Wife, two women abroad search for the truth about their husbands—and their country. Meet Persephone Wilder, a displaced genius posing as the wife of an American diplomat in Namibia. Persephone takes her job as a representative of her country seriously, coming up with an intricate set of rules to survive the problems she encounters: how to dress in hundred-degree weather without showing too much skin, how not to look drunk at embassy functions, and how to eat roasted oryx with grace. She also suspects her husband is not actually the ambassador’s legal counsel but a secret agent in the CIA. The consummate embassy wife, she takes the newest trailing spouse, Amanda Evans, under her wing. Amanda arrives in Namibia mere weeks after giving up her Silicon Valley job so her husband, Mark, can have his family close by as he works on his Fulbright project. But once they’re settled in the sub-Saharan desert, Amanda sees clearly that Mark, who lived in Namibia two decades earlier, has other reasons for returning. Back in the safety of home, the marriage had seemed solid; in the glaring heat of the Kalahari, it feels tenuous. And the situation grows even more fraught when their daughter becomes involved in an international conflict and their own government won’t stand up for her. How far will Amanda go to keep her family intact? How much corruption can Persephone ignore? And what, exactly, does it mean to be an American abroad when you’re not sure you understand your country anymore? Propulsive and provocative, Embassy Wife asks what it means to be a human in this world, even as it helps us laugh in the face of our own absurd, seemingly impossible states of affairs.
Love and Other Poems
Author: Alex Dimitrov
Publisher: Copper Canyon Press
ISBN: 161932234X
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 120
Book Description
Alex Dimitrov’s third book, Love and Other Poems, is full of praise for the world we live in. Taking time as an overarching structure—specifically, the twelve months of the year—Dimitrov elevates the everyday, and speaks directly to the reader as if the poem were a phone call or a text message. From the personal to the cosmos, the moon to New York City, the speaker is convinced that love is “our best invention.” Dimitrov doesn’t resist joy, even in despair. These poems are curious about who we are as people and shamelessly interested in hope.
Publisher: Copper Canyon Press
ISBN: 161932234X
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 120
Book Description
Alex Dimitrov’s third book, Love and Other Poems, is full of praise for the world we live in. Taking time as an overarching structure—specifically, the twelve months of the year—Dimitrov elevates the everyday, and speaks directly to the reader as if the poem were a phone call or a text message. From the personal to the cosmos, the moon to New York City, the speaker is convinced that love is “our best invention.” Dimitrov doesn’t resist joy, even in despair. These poems are curious about who we are as people and shamelessly interested in hope.
Disability Visibility
Author: Alice Wong
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 1984899422
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
“Disability rights activist Alice Wong brings tough conversations to the forefront of society with this anthology. It sheds light on the experience of life as an individual with disabilities, as told by none other than authors with these life experiences. It's an eye-opening collection that readers will revisit time and time again.” —Chicago Tribune One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love.
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 1984899422
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
“Disability rights activist Alice Wong brings tough conversations to the forefront of society with this anthology. It sheds light on the experience of life as an individual with disabilities, as told by none other than authors with these life experiences. It's an eye-opening collection that readers will revisit time and time again.” —Chicago Tribune One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love.
Contemporary Management Education
Author: Piet Naudé
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030877752
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 147
Book Description
“Why are we so important?”; “What value do we add?”; and “What good do we create?” These are the opening questions posed to management educators in this book. This is followed by uncomfortable questions about colonization (Who is in the centre and whose knowledge counts?) and inequality (Whom do we exclude?). After questioning the easy adoption of technology (What are we embracing?) and the challenge posed by global warming (Can management education help stop climate change?), the author ends by sketching some leadership lessons required for the future: “What lessons can we learn in a black swan event?” Mixing philosophical analyses with anecdotes from experience, the author does not shy away from discussing controversial views to give direction to current debates. Tracing eight such crucial questions and providing well-researched perspectives, this book is an engaging read for anyone interested in the future direction of business schools in particular and management education in general. “There are many books and articles on business education, but few as deep and insightful as Contemporary Management Education. I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who seeks to understand and improve the training of business leaders.” Peter Tufano, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford “An amazing read. Piet Naude is eclectic and sparkling. He applies his talents to the wicked maze of management education in society. No issue is more important for global business. No writer is better qualified.” Thomas Donaldson, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania “A powerful, persuasive, and superbly compelling book. Contemporary Management Education serves as an invaluable and informative reference to the essential issues that are shaping the future.” Sherif Kamel, Dean, School of Business, The American University in Cairo
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030877752
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 147
Book Description
“Why are we so important?”; “What value do we add?”; and “What good do we create?” These are the opening questions posed to management educators in this book. This is followed by uncomfortable questions about colonization (Who is in the centre and whose knowledge counts?) and inequality (Whom do we exclude?). After questioning the easy adoption of technology (What are we embracing?) and the challenge posed by global warming (Can management education help stop climate change?), the author ends by sketching some leadership lessons required for the future: “What lessons can we learn in a black swan event?” Mixing philosophical analyses with anecdotes from experience, the author does not shy away from discussing controversial views to give direction to current debates. Tracing eight such crucial questions and providing well-researched perspectives, this book is an engaging read for anyone interested in the future direction of business schools in particular and management education in general. “There are many books and articles on business education, but few as deep and insightful as Contemporary Management Education. I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who seeks to understand and improve the training of business leaders.” Peter Tufano, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford “An amazing read. Piet Naude is eclectic and sparkling. He applies his talents to the wicked maze of management education in society. No issue is more important for global business. No writer is better qualified.” Thomas Donaldson, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania “A powerful, persuasive, and superbly compelling book. Contemporary Management Education serves as an invaluable and informative reference to the essential issues that are shaping the future.” Sherif Kamel, Dean, School of Business, The American University in Cairo
Until Proven Safe
Author: Nicola Twilley
Publisher: MCD
ISBN: 0374715335
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
Geoff Manaugh and Nicola Twilley have been researching quarantine since long before the COVID-19 pandemic. With Until Proven Safe, they bring us a book as compelling as it is definitive, not only urgent reading for social-distanced times but also an up-to-the-minute investigation of the interplay of forces–––biological, political, technological––that shape our modern world. Quarantine is our most powerful response to uncertainty: it means waiting to see if something hidden inside us will be revealed. It is also one of our most dangerous, operating through an assumption of guilt. In quarantine, we are considered infectious until proven safe. Until Proven Safe tracks the history and future of quarantine around the globe, chasing the story of emergency isolation through time and space—from the crumbling lazarettos of the Mediterranean, built to contain the Black Death, to an experimental Ebola unit in London, and from the hallways of the CDC to closed-door simulations where pharmaceutical execs and epidemiologists prepare for the outbreak of a novel coronavirus. But the story of quarantine ranges far beyond the history of medical isolation. In Until Proven Safe, the authors tour a nuclear-waste isolation facility beneath the New Mexican desert, see plants stricken with a disease that threatens the world’s wheat supply, and meet NASA’s Planetary Protection Officer, tasked with saving Earth from extraterrestrial infections. They also introduce us to the corporate tech giants hoping to revolutionize quarantine through surveillance and algorithmic prediction. We live in a disorienting historical moment that can feel both unprecedented and inevitable; Until Proven Safe helps us make sense of our new reality through a thrillingly reported, thought-provoking exploration of the meaning of freedom, governance, and mutual responsibility.
Publisher: MCD
ISBN: 0374715335
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
Geoff Manaugh and Nicola Twilley have been researching quarantine since long before the COVID-19 pandemic. With Until Proven Safe, they bring us a book as compelling as it is definitive, not only urgent reading for social-distanced times but also an up-to-the-minute investigation of the interplay of forces–––biological, political, technological––that shape our modern world. Quarantine is our most powerful response to uncertainty: it means waiting to see if something hidden inside us will be revealed. It is also one of our most dangerous, operating through an assumption of guilt. In quarantine, we are considered infectious until proven safe. Until Proven Safe tracks the history and future of quarantine around the globe, chasing the story of emergency isolation through time and space—from the crumbling lazarettos of the Mediterranean, built to contain the Black Death, to an experimental Ebola unit in London, and from the hallways of the CDC to closed-door simulations where pharmaceutical execs and epidemiologists prepare for the outbreak of a novel coronavirus. But the story of quarantine ranges far beyond the history of medical isolation. In Until Proven Safe, the authors tour a nuclear-waste isolation facility beneath the New Mexican desert, see plants stricken with a disease that threatens the world’s wheat supply, and meet NASA’s Planetary Protection Officer, tasked with saving Earth from extraterrestrial infections. They also introduce us to the corporate tech giants hoping to revolutionize quarantine through surveillance and algorithmic prediction. We live in a disorienting historical moment that can feel both unprecedented and inevitable; Until Proven Safe helps us make sense of our new reality through a thrillingly reported, thought-provoking exploration of the meaning of freedom, governance, and mutual responsibility.
The Art of Gathering
Author: Priya Parker
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1594634939
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
"Hosts of all kinds, this is a must-read!" --Chris Anderson, owner and curator of TED From the host of the New York Times podcast Together Apart, an exciting new approach to how we gather that will transform the ways we spend our time together—at home, at work, in our communities, and beyond. In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive--which they don't have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play. Drawing on her expertise as a facilitator of high-powered gatherings around the world, Parker takes us inside events of all kinds to show what works, what doesn't, and why. She investigates a wide array of gatherings--conferences, meetings, a courtroom, a flash-mob party, an Arab-Israeli summer camp--and explains how simple, specific changes can invigorate any group experience. The result is a book that's both journey and guide, full of exciting ideas with real-world applications. The Art of Gathering will forever alter the way you look at your next meeting, industry conference, dinner party, and backyard barbecue--and how you host and attend them.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1594634939
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
"Hosts of all kinds, this is a must-read!" --Chris Anderson, owner and curator of TED From the host of the New York Times podcast Together Apart, an exciting new approach to how we gather that will transform the ways we spend our time together—at home, at work, in our communities, and beyond. In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive--which they don't have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play. Drawing on her expertise as a facilitator of high-powered gatherings around the world, Parker takes us inside events of all kinds to show what works, what doesn't, and why. She investigates a wide array of gatherings--conferences, meetings, a courtroom, a flash-mob party, an Arab-Israeli summer camp--and explains how simple, specific changes can invigorate any group experience. The result is a book that's both journey and guide, full of exciting ideas with real-world applications. The Art of Gathering will forever alter the way you look at your next meeting, industry conference, dinner party, and backyard barbecue--and how you host and attend them.
Blindness
Author: José Saramago
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 0156007754
Category : Drama
Languages : en
Pages : 318
Book Description
A stunningly powerful novel of man's will to survive against all odds, by the winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature. "This is a shattering work by a literary master."--The Boston Globe A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness" which spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there the criminal element holds everyone captive, stealing food rations and raping women. There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides seven strangers--among them a boy with no mother, a girl with dark glasses, a dog of tears--through the barren streets, and the procession becomes as uncanny as the surroundings are harrowing. A magnificent parable of loss and disorientation and a vivid evocation of the horrors of the twentieth century, Blindness has swept the reading public with its powerful portrayal of man's worst appetites and weaknesses--and man's ultimately exhilarating spirit.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 0156007754
Category : Drama
Languages : en
Pages : 318
Book Description
A stunningly powerful novel of man's will to survive against all odds, by the winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature. "This is a shattering work by a literary master."--The Boston Globe A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness" which spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there the criminal element holds everyone captive, stealing food rations and raping women. There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides seven strangers--among them a boy with no mother, a girl with dark glasses, a dog of tears--through the barren streets, and the procession becomes as uncanny as the surroundings are harrowing. A magnificent parable of loss and disorientation and a vivid evocation of the horrors of the twentieth century, Blindness has swept the reading public with its powerful portrayal of man's worst appetites and weaknesses--and man's ultimately exhilarating spirit.
Content DNA
Author: John Espirian
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781916206236
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 248
Book Description
How can we compete in today's fast-moving market? There are more platforms, more users and more content than ever before. How do we stand out? What can we do to make ourselves noticed, remembered and preferred? Content DNA provides the answers. By focusing on two key elements - consistency and congruence - you'll learn how to define a recognizable "shape" for your business. You'll discover the building blocks of your brand and get clarity on expressing your value through a short, memorable tagline. Finally, you'll understand how to create content that builds authority and establishes trust, based on the author's 10+ years of experience as an independent business writer and consultant. "John represents the cutting edge of content marketing reality." - Mark Schaefer "Content DNA provides the foundation and building blocks for creating great content." - Vicki O'Neil "Talk about relentlessly helpful! This is the content bible for anyone looking to build a business online." - Chloë Forbes-Kindlen
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781916206236
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 248
Book Description
How can we compete in today's fast-moving market? There are more platforms, more users and more content than ever before. How do we stand out? What can we do to make ourselves noticed, remembered and preferred? Content DNA provides the answers. By focusing on two key elements - consistency and congruence - you'll learn how to define a recognizable "shape" for your business. You'll discover the building blocks of your brand and get clarity on expressing your value through a short, memorable tagline. Finally, you'll understand how to create content that builds authority and establishes trust, based on the author's 10+ years of experience as an independent business writer and consultant. "John represents the cutting edge of content marketing reality." - Mark Schaefer "Content DNA provides the foundation and building blocks for creating great content." - Vicki O'Neil "Talk about relentlessly helpful! This is the content bible for anyone looking to build a business online." - Chloë Forbes-Kindlen
The Healing Otherness Handbook
Author: Stacee L. Reicherzer
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1684036496
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
Rewrite your story—and this time, you make the rules. Were you the victim of childhood bullying based on your identity? Do you carry those scars into adulthood in the form of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dysfunctional relationships, substance abuse, or suicidal thoughts? If so, you’re not alone. Our cultural and political climate has reopened old wounds for many people who have felt “othered” at different points in their life, starting with childhood bullying. This breakthrough book will guide you as you learn to identify your deeply rooted fears, and help you heal the invisible wounds of identity-based childhood rejection, bullying, and belittling. In The Healing Otherness Handbook, Stacee Reicherzer—a nationally known transgender psychotherapist and expert on trauma, otherness, and self-sabotage—shares her own personal story of childhood bullying, and how it inspired her to help others heal from the same wounds. Drawing from mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Reicherzer will help you gain a better understanding of how past trauma has limited your life, and show you the keys to freeing yourself from self-defeating, destructive beliefs. If you’re ready to heal from the past, find power in your difference, and live an authentic life full of confidence—this handbook will help guide you, step by step.
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1684036496
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
Rewrite your story—and this time, you make the rules. Were you the victim of childhood bullying based on your identity? Do you carry those scars into adulthood in the form of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dysfunctional relationships, substance abuse, or suicidal thoughts? If so, you’re not alone. Our cultural and political climate has reopened old wounds for many people who have felt “othered” at different points in their life, starting with childhood bullying. This breakthrough book will guide you as you learn to identify your deeply rooted fears, and help you heal the invisible wounds of identity-based childhood rejection, bullying, and belittling. In The Healing Otherness Handbook, Stacee Reicherzer—a nationally known transgender psychotherapist and expert on trauma, otherness, and self-sabotage—shares her own personal story of childhood bullying, and how it inspired her to help others heal from the same wounds. Drawing from mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Reicherzer will help you gain a better understanding of how past trauma has limited your life, and show you the keys to freeing yourself from self-defeating, destructive beliefs. If you’re ready to heal from the past, find power in your difference, and live an authentic life full of confidence—this handbook will help guide you, step by step.
Can't Quarantine Our Love
Author: Sudeep Nagarkar
Publisher: Penguin Random House India Private Limited
ISBN: 8195084338
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 156
Book Description
True love-we all long for it, only a few ever really find it and even fewer live with it forever Pihu, however, believes true love is a myth. Unlike her gregarious Punjabi parents, she prefers to live in her own little world and wants nothing more than to be left alone with her books for company. When she comes across her new neighbour, Akash, she is irked by his behaviour. A fun and outgoing Gujju boy, Akash is everything Pihu detests. As fate would have it, he is instantly drawn to Pihu on their first meeting while Pihu wants nothing to do with the boy who seems to be ruining her chance of securing the top position in college. A series of miscommunications make Pihu believe the worst of Akash, further ruining his hopes of ever having a chance at love. Can't Quarantine Our Love is an epic love story of two neighbours with a twist of fate that put everything they knew to a heartbreaking test.
Publisher: Penguin Random House India Private Limited
ISBN: 8195084338
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 156
Book Description
True love-we all long for it, only a few ever really find it and even fewer live with it forever Pihu, however, believes true love is a myth. Unlike her gregarious Punjabi parents, she prefers to live in her own little world and wants nothing more than to be left alone with her books for company. When she comes across her new neighbour, Akash, she is irked by his behaviour. A fun and outgoing Gujju boy, Akash is everything Pihu detests. As fate would have it, he is instantly drawn to Pihu on their first meeting while Pihu wants nothing to do with the boy who seems to be ruining her chance of securing the top position in college. A series of miscommunications make Pihu believe the worst of Akash, further ruining his hopes of ever having a chance at love. Can't Quarantine Our Love is an epic love story of two neighbours with a twist of fate that put everything they knew to a heartbreaking test.