Here, from Bill Clinton, is a call to action. Giving is an inspiring look at how each of us can change the world. First, it reveals the extraordinary and innovative efforts now being made by companies and organizations—and by individuals—to solve problems and save lives both “down the street and around the world.” Then it urges us to seek out what each of us, “regardless of income, available time, age, and skills,” can do to help, to give people a chance to live out their dreams. Bill Clinton shares his own experiences and those of other givers, representing a global flood tide of nongovernmental, nonprofit activity. These remarkable stories demonstrate that gifts of time, skills, things, and ideas are as important and effective as contributions of money. From Bill and Melinda Gates to a six-year-old California girl named McKenzie Steiner, who organized and supervised drives to clean up the beach in her community, Clinton introduces us to both well-known and unknown heroes of giving. Among them: Dr. Paul Farmer, who grew up living in the family bus in a trailer park, vowed to devote his life to giving high-quality medical care to the poor and has built innovative public health-care clinics first in Haiti and then in Rwanda; a New York couple, in Africa for a wedding, who visited several schools in Zimbabwe and were appalled by the absence of textbooks and school supplies. They founded their own organization to gather and ship materials to thirty-five schools. After three years, the percentage of seventh-graders who pass reading tests increased from 5 percent to 60 percent;' Oseola McCarty, who after seventy-five years of eking out a living by washing and ironing, gave $150,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi to endow a scholarship fund for African-American students; Andre Agassi, who has created a college preparatory academy in the Las Vegas neighborhood with the city’s highest percentage of at-risk kids. “Tennis was a stepping-stone for me,” says Agassi. “Changing a child’s life is what I always wanted to do”; Heifer International, which gave twelve goats to a Ugandan village. Within a year, Beatrice Biira’s mother had earned enough money selling goat’s milk to pay Beatrice’s school fees and eventually to send all her children to school—and, as required, to pass on a baby goat to another family, thus multiplying the impact of the gift. Clinton writes about men and women who traded in their corporate careers, and the fulfillment they now experience through giving. He writes about energy-efficient practices, about progressive companies going green, about promoting fair wages and decent working conditions around the world. He shows us how one of the most important ways of giving can be an effort to change, improve, or protect a government policy. He outlines what we as individuals can do, the steps we can take, how much we should consider giving, and why our giving is so important. Bill Clinton’s own actions in his post-presidential years have had an enormous impact on the lives of millions. Through his foundation and his work in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, he has become an international spokesperson and model for the power of giving. “We all have the capacity to do great things,” President Clinton says. “My hope is that the people and stories in this book will lift spirits, touch hearts, and demonstrate that citizen activism and service can be a powerful agent of change in the world.”
Prior to 2008 it was not even possible that Bill Vincent would have set down to write about Signs and Wonders. The reason being is that Bill didn't even believe in any manifested signs & wonders. Bill Vincent was a Pastor in Litchfield, IL and was invited to a David Herzog meeting. They said to him come on there will be gold dust in the meeting. Bill responded what is that for? Bill told them he wanted something tangible from God not some gold dust. Little did he know gold dust was definitely from God? You will either love it or hate it, but all of this book is backed up with the truth of scripture. Bill has experienced some of the most glorious times in God's Presence. Bill has seen and has been a Sign and Wonder. God has shown His awesome wonders to and through Bill so much that it seems like a dream. Whether it's gold dust, multi colored dust, gold flakes, gold nuggets, feathers, glory clouds, misting rain, gemstones, diamonds, mounted rings and more. God's Glory can manifest some of the most strange but real Signs. Bill has been told by some ministers that have experienced signs and wonders that we were blessed greatly to see all that we've seen. God moved more in this type of manifestations more when it was just a few people. Bill believes it is because of the unity we had. It takes pressing in unity together for God, that brings His Glory and releases His signs and wonders. We will have full color pictures of Signs and Wonders that have happened since 2008. We believe and hope you will to. In God's Glory anything can happen. God wanted Bill to say this here. You read this book expecting Signs and Wonders to happen and they will.
I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to." And, as soon as Bill Bryson was old enough, he left. Des Moines couldn't hold him, but it did lure him back. After ten years in England he returned to the land of his youth, and drove almost 14,000 miles in search of a mythical small town called Amalgam, the kind of smiling village where the movies from his youth were set. Instead he drove through a series of horrific burgs, which he renamed Smellville, Fartville, Coleslaw, Coma, and Doldrum. At best his search led him to Anywhere, USA, a lookalike strip of gas stations, motels and hamburger outlets populated by obese and slow-witted hicks with a partiality for synthetic fibres. He discovered a continent that was doubly lost: lost to itself because he found it blighted by greed, pollution, mobile homes and television; lost to him because he had become a foreigner in his own country.
Report into the Loss of the SS Titanic is a complete re-evaluation of the loss of Titanic based on evidence that has come to light since the discovery of the wreck in 1985. This collective undertaking is compiled by eleven of the world’s foremost Titanic researchers – experts who have spent many years examining the wealth of information that has arisen since 1912. Following the basic layout of the 1912 Wreck Commission Report, this modern report provides fascinating insights into the ship itself, the American and British inquiries, the passengers and crew, the fateful journey and ice warnings received, the damage and sinking, rescue of survivors, the circumstances in connection with the SS Californian and SS Mount Temple, and the aftermath and ramifications that followed the disaster. The book seeks to answer controversial questions, such as whether steerage passengers were detained behind gates, and also reveals the names and aliases of all passengers and crew who sailed on Titanic’s maiden voyage. Containing the most extensively referenced chronology of the voyage ever assembled and featuring a wealth of explanatory charts and diagrams, as well as archive photographs, this comprehensive volume is the definitive ‘go-to’ reference book for this ill-fated ship.
Larry the lovable monster from the USA Today bestseller Don't Push the Button! is back, and this time, he's going to the farm! From the brilliant mind of author and illustrator, Bill Cotter, comes a farm-tastic interactive book for children. Everyone knows farms are full of cool animals, but you have to stay on this side of the...hey, wait! The sign says don't open the gate! Now you've done it. Whatever you do, do NOT push the button and make animal noises! "There's still monstrous fun to be had in Don't Push The Button"—Parenthood.com, Don't Push the Button! "Kids have fun pushing the button, shaking the book, and scratching Larry's tummy. This is a winner for reading aloud to a group"—Atlanta Parent, Don't Push the Button!
“Bill Ivey has written a thoughtful and thought-provoking book on the state of the arts in America today. He tracks our loss of heritage and risk-taking and comments cogently on the past culture wars. His discussion of the corporate hijacking of intellectual property is highly articulate and should be read by everyone.”—Jane Alexander “You don't have to agree with all his conclusions to recognize that Bill Ivey's Arts, Inc. is an important book. It's a must-read for all those interested in American art and culture and the public interest in preserving access to our heritage for everyone, and as it contributes to the arts of today and tomorrow.”—Frank Hodsoll “Arts, Inc. is the first comprehensive effort to explore the role and potential of a coordinated vision for art, culture, and expression in American public life. Through strands of personal and professional memoir, policy analysis, for-profit and nonprofit industry insights, and personal conviction, Bill Ivey defines a new canvas for more productive and inclusive conversations on the expressive life of our nation and its citizens.”—Andrew Taylor, Bolz Center for Arts Administration, University of Wisconsin-Madison “Very few observers of the contemporary U.S. and global arts worlds have Bill Ivey's capacity for first-hand examples of how trade representatives, artists, music executives, corporate attorneys, elected officials, non-profit executives and many other participants influence the course of the arts, and in particular, the public's access to the arts. Arts, Inc. is an important work because it asserts, in a very thoughtful and urgent manner, that Americans have a right to a better expressive life.”—John Kreidler, retired Executive Director, Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley "At a time when international polls show doubts about America, our art and culture are a crucial resource for our soft power. Bill Ivey does a wonderful job of explaining the importance of art as a public issue. "—Joseph S. Nye, Jr., author of Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics “A profoundly important diagnosis by perhaps America's best-qualified critic of the harm to our culture caused by overregulation and inadequate support. Ivey has given us a rich and beautifully written warning about the culture we're losing, and a powerful and historically compelling image of a culture that could be.”—Lawrence Lessig, Stanford Law School "Walt Whitman was democracy's eloquent poet who understood that democracy is not just a form of government but a way of life rooted in culture. Bill Ivey is culture's eloquent advocate who knows that as democracy needs the arts, the arts need the advocacy of government. His manifesto Arts, Inc. is a passionate attack on the commercialization of culture and a plea for a cultural bill of rights that will restore to all Americans their right to a heritage, to creative expression and to a creative life. This is not just a vital book about the arts, but a vital book about democracy." —Benjamin R. Barber, author of Jihad vs. McWorld and Consumed.
#1 New York Times Bestseller President Bill Clinton’s My Life is the strikingly candid portrait of the 42nd U.S. president, a global leader who decided early in life to devote his intellectual and political gifts, and his extraordinary capacity for hard work, to serving the public. It shows us the progress of a remarkable American, who, through his own enormous energies and efforts, made the unlikely journey from Hope, Arkansas, to the White House—a journey fueled by an impassioned interest in the political process which manifested itself at every stage of his life: in college, working as an intern for Senator William Fulbright; at Oxford, becoming part of the Vietnam War protest movement; at Yale Law School, campaigning on the grassroots level for Democratic candidates; back in Arkansas, running for Congress, attorney general, and governor. We see his career shaped by his resolute determination to improve the life of his fellow citizens, an unfaltering commitment to civil rights, and an exceptional understanding of the practicalities of political life. We come to understand the emotional pressures of his youth—born after his father’s death; caught in the dysfunctional relationship between his feisty, nurturing mother and his abusive stepfather, whom he never ceased to love and whose name he took; drawn to the brilliant, compelling Hillary Rodham, whom he was determined to marry; passionately devoted, from her infancy, to their daughter, Chelsea, and to the entire experience of fatherhood; slowly and painfully beginning to comprehend how his early denial of pain led him at times into damaging patterns of behavior. President Clinton’s book is also the fullest, most concretely detailed, most nuanced account of a presidency ever written—encompassing not only the high points and crises but the way the presidency actually works: the day-to-day bombardment of problems, personalities, conflicts, setbacks, achievements. It is a testament to the positive impact on America and on the world of his work and his ideals. It is the gripping account of a president under concerted and unrelenting assault orchestrated by his enemies on the Far Right, and how he survived and prevailed. It is a treasury of moments caught alive, among them: • The ten-year-old boy watching the national political conventions on his family’s new (and first) television set. • The young candidate looking for votes in the Arkansas hills and the local seer who tells him, “Anybody who would campaign at a beer joint in Joiner at midnight on Saturday night deserves to carry one box. . . . You’ll win here. But it’ll be the only damn place you win in this county.” (He was right on both counts.) • The roller-coaster ride of the 1992 campaign. • The extraordinarily frank exchanges with Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole. • The delicate manipulation needed to convince Rabin and Arafat to shake hands for the camera while keeping Arafat from kissing Rabin. • The cost, both public and private, of the scandal that threatened the presidency. Here is the life of a great national and international figure, revealed with all his talents and contradictions, told openly, directly, in his own completely recognizable voice. A unique book by a unique American.
Don't miss the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller from the world's bestselling author, James Patterson: an "undeniably gripping ride through the hidden passageways of power and politics" that "moves like Air Force One" (Michael Connelly). The President Is Missing confronts a threat so huge that it jeopardizes not just Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street, but all of America. Uncertainty and fear grip the nation. There are whispers of cyberterror and espionage and a traitor in the Cabinet. Even the President himself becomes a suspect, and then he disappears from public view . . . Set over the course of three days, The President Is Missing sheds a stunning light upon the inner workings and vulnerabilities of our nation. Filled with information that only a former commander in chief could know, this is the most authentic, terrifying novel to come along in many years. #1 New York Times bestseller#1 USA Today bestseller#1 Wall Street Journal bestseller#1 Indie bestseller "President Duncan for a second term!" -- USA Today"This book's a big one." -- New York Times"Towers above most political thrillers." -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"The plotting is immaculate . . . the writing is taut." -- Sunday Times (London)"Ambitious and wildly readable." -- New York Times Book Review
As a governing body, Congress continually adapts to changes in process and practice. The Eleventh Edition of Walter Oleszek’s definitive work updated with new developments and fresh research, continues to examine how this procedural context governs every aspect of the House and Senate and affects lawmakers as they make voting decisions, expedite legislation, or defeat a bill. Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process reveals how the majority and minority parties use procedural devices to achieve their political goals and offers an assessment of the role of conference committees in reconciling bicameral differences. Not shying away from the complexity of the topic, Oleszek and new coauthors Mark Oleszek, Elizabeth Rybicki, and Bill Heniff Jr. ensure that the machinations of Congress are understandable through an array of interesting examples, topical cases, and anecdotes that they are uniquely positioned to witness and experience firsthand. ?
“I wrote this book because I love my country and I'm concerned about our future,” writes Bill Clinton. “As I often said when I first ran for President in 1992, America at its core is an idea—the idea that no matter who you are or where you're from, if you work hard and play by the rules, you'll have the freedom and opportunity to pursue your own dreams and leave your kids a country where they can chase theirs.” In Back to Work, Clinton details how we can get out of the current economic crisis and lay a foundation for long-term prosperity. He offers specific recommendations on how we can put people back to work and create new businesses, increase bank lending and corporate investment, double our exports, and restore our manufacturing base. He supports President Obama’s emphasis on green technology, saying that change in the way we produce and consume energy is the strategy most likely to spark a fast-growing economy and enhance our national security. Clinton also says that we need both a strong economy and a smart government working together to restore prosperity and progress. He demonstrates that whenever we’ve given in to the temptation to blame government for our problems, we’ve lost our commitment to shared prosperity, balanced growth, financial responsibility, and investment in the future. That has led our nation into trouble because there are some things we have to do together. For example, he says, “Our ability to compete in the twenty-first century is dependent on our willingness to invest in infrastructure: we need faster broadband, a state-of-the-art national electrical grid, modernized water and sewer systems, and the best airports, trains, roads, and bridges. “There is no evidence that we can succeed in the twenty-first century with an antigovernment strategy,” writes Clinton, “with a philosophy grounded in ‘You’re on your own’ rather than ‘We’re all in this together.’” Clinton believes that conflict between government and the private sector has proved to be remarkably good politics, but it has produced bad policies, giving us a weak economy with few jobs, growing income inequality and poverty, and a decline in our competitive position. In the real world, cooperation works much better than conflict, and “we need victories in the real world.”
This engaging and informative introduction to the the Babylonians were important not only because of their many historical contacts with ancient Israel but because they and their predecessors, the Sumerians, established the philosophical and social infrastructure for most of Western Asia for nearly two millennia. Beginning and advanced students as well as biblical scholars and interested nonspecialists will read this introduction to the history and culture of the Babylonians with interest and profit.
The author of A Return to Glory constructs a compellingly detailed and panoramic history of the fateful day that ushered the United States into WWII. Using long-established historical records and contemporary journals, as well as recently released wartime documents, Bill McWilliams has created a brand-new minute-by-minute narrative of the Day That Will Live in Infamy. Told from the points of view of dozens of characters, from generals and admirals and politicians and diplomats down to deckhands and private soldiers and innocent civilians at all levels, this panoramic overview of one of the most traumatizing and shocking events in American history puts the reader in a position to understand the big picture of strategy and tactics, as well as the intimate details of what the chaos, violence, and presence of death felt like to people immersed in the surprise of an armed attack on American soil. December 7, 1941, was a turning point in the history of the United States, which had been teetering on a decision between isolationism and intervention. One might argue that every US military engagement since then has been affected by what happened when America learned that it could not stand by and watch war among strangers without potentially becoming involved—whether we wished to or not.
In this book the authors make the case for renewable energy and renewable energy policy. Each chapter begins with an inspiring story by someone working in renewable energy or a related field.
Thrilling yarns of buffalo hunts, Indian life, and riding with the Pony Express abound in this exciting memoir of life in the Old West. Illustrations by N. C. Wyeth.
So many histories of the War in the Pacific focus on the Allied experience. This title reverses this trend by examining the year of Japanese victory, when the might Japanese naval and ground forces swept all before them both throughout the Pacific and on mainland Asia. The German offensives which crushed Poland in 1939 and swallowed most of Western Europe in less than two months in 1940 have been well documented and heavily studied, however, the overall picture of the remarkable Japanese offensive land campaign in 1941–42 has received less attention. In this fascinating book, Bill Yenne documents the years when the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) was conducting its equally unstoppable ground campaign in the Far East, and unlike other books on this subject, he studies the campaign from the Japanese point of view. He reveals how the IJA were able to conquer huge swathes of Southeast Asia in a little over eight weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Using first-hand accounts from Japanese sources, Yenne reveals the tactics and mindset of the IJA during their offensive, detailing the capturing of Manila, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Burma, and the Dutch East Indies. Exploring the infrastructure and technical challenges of waging war across such a huge area, Yenne delves into the hardships that faced individual Japanese soldiers in theatre and explains how the Japanese were able to remain undefeated and establish the aura of invincibility that marked their campaign between 1941–42.
New York Times Best Seller and Over 1 million copies sold! Over 750 5-Star reviews Wiese’s visit to the devil’s lair lasted just twenty-three minutes, but he returned with vivid details etched in his memory, capturing the attention of national media, including the Christian Broadcasting Network, Daystar Television Network, Trinity Broadcasting Network, the Miracle Channel, Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural!, Sean Hannity’s America, Charisma News, and many others.
The fourth edition of the Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement presents a comprehensive history of the games from the first recorded history of the games in 776 B.C. to the present day. This is done through a chronology, forewords by Dan Jansen and Mike Krzyzewski, an introductory essay, appendixes, a bibliography, photos, and over 900 cross-referenced dictionary entries covering the history, philosophy, and politics of the Olympics and, of course, the medal winners. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the Olympics.
Un libro excepcional de un americano excepcional. Mi vida, del presidente Clinton, es un impresionante y sorprendentemente honesto retrato de un líder global que decidió cuando era joven que dedicaría sus dotes intelectuales y políticos, y su extraordinaria capacidad para el trabajo duro, al servicio de los ciudadanos. Nos muestra el avance de un americano notable que, gracias a sus enormes energías y su esfuerzo, logró realizar el improbable viaje desde Hope, Arkansas, hasta la Casa Blanca — un trayecto alimentado por su apasionado interés en el proceso político que se manifestó en cada etapa de su vida: en la universidad, trabajando como becario para el senador William Fulbright; en Oxford, cuando formó parte del movimiento de protesta contra la guerra de Vietnam en la facultad de Derecho de Yale, haciendo campaña a nivel de base para los candidatos demócratas; y de nuevo en Arkansas, cuando se presentó candidato al Congreso, a fiscal general y al cargo de gobernador. A lo largo de esta obra, somos testigos de cómo su carrera política se forjó a partir de su decidida voluntad de mejorar la vida de sus conciudadanos, un compromiso firme con el avance de los derechos civiles, y una excepcional capacidad de comprender los detalles prácticos de la vida política. También llegamos a comprender las presiones emocionales a las que se vio sometido en su juventud, desde su nacimiento tras la temprana muerte de su padre, hasta la difícil situación que vivió, atrapado en una relación disfuncional entre su enérgica madre que tanto se preocupó de él, y un padrastro maltratador al que jamás dejó de querer, y cuyo nombre adoptó. Asistimos a la atracción que sintió por la brillante e irresistible Hillary Rodham, con la cual decidió casarse, y a la apasionada devoción, desde su infancia, a su hija Chelsea, así como a toda la experiencia de la paternidad. Y también, cómo lenta y dolorosamente, empieza a comprender que su temprana negación del dolor en ocasiones le arrastró a pautas de conducta dañinas. El libro del presidente Clinton es también la narración más completa, matizada y con más detalles concretos de una presidencia que se ha escrito jamás, abarcando no s—lo los momentos más destacados de las crisis sino también la manera en que la presidencia funciona realmente: el bombardeo cotidiano de problemas, personalidades, conflictos, reveses y éxitos.Es un testamento acerca del impacto positivo que su labor y sus ideales tuvieron en Estados Unidos y en todo el mundo. Es el emocionante relato de un presidente sometido a un asalto implacable y concertado, orquestado por sus enemigos de la extrema derecha, as’ como la historia de cómo sobrevivo y terminó por prevalecer sobre todo ello. Estamos ante un tesoro de momentos capturados en toda su vivacidad, entre ellos: • El niño de diez años contemplando las convenciones políticas nacionales en el nuevo (y primer) aparato de televisión familiar. • La montaña rusa que fue la campaña de 1992. • Las conversaciones extraordinariamente francas con Newt Gingrich y Bob Dole. • La delicada manipulación necesaria para convencer a Rabin y Arafat de que se dieran la mano frente a las cámaras, a la vez que debía evitarse que Arafat besara a Rabin. • El coste, tanto público como privado, del escándalo que amenaza— a la presidencia. Nos hallamos frente a la vida de una destacada figura nacional e internacional, que nos es revelada con todos sus talentos y contradicciones, contada abiertamente, con su voz personal y reconocible. ENGLISH DESCRIPTION #1 New York Times Bestseller President Bill Clinton’s My Life is the strikingly candid portrait of the 42nd U.S. president, a global leader who decided early in life to devote his intellectual and political gifts, and his extraordinary capacity for hard work, to serving the public. It shows us the progress of a remarkable American, who, through his own enormous energies and efforts, made the unlikely journey from Hope, Arkansas, to the White House—a journey fueled by an impassioned interest in the political process which manifested itself at every stage of his life: in college, working as an intern for Senator William Fulbright; at Oxford, becoming part of the Vietnam War protest movement; at Yale Law School, campaigning on the grassroots level for Democratic candidates; back in Arkansas, running for Congress, attorney general, and governor. We see his career shaped by his resolute determination to improve the life of his fellow citizens, an unfaltering commitment to civil rights, and an exceptional understanding of the practicalities of political life. We come to understand the emotional pressures of his youth—born after his father’s death; caught in the dysfunctional relationship between his feisty, nurturing mother and his abusive stepfather, whom he never ceased to love and whose name he took; drawn to the brilliant, compelling Hillary Rodham, whom he was determined to marry; passionately devoted, from her infancy, to their daughter, Chelsea, and to the entire experience of fatherhood; slowly and painfully beginning to comprehend how his early denial of pain led him at times into damaging patterns of behavior. President Clinton’s book is also the fullest, most concretely detailed, most nuanced account of a presidency ever written—encompassing not only the high points and crises but the way the presidency actually works: the day-to-day bombardment of problems, personalities, conflicts, setbacks, achievements. It is a testament to the positive impact on America and on the world of his work and his ideals. It is the gripping account of a president under concerted and unrelenting assault orchestrated by his enemies on the Far Right, and how he survived and prevailed. It is a treasury of moments caught alive, among them: • The ten-year-old boy watching the national political conventions on his family’s new (and first) television set. • The young candidate looking for votes in the Arkansas hills and the local seer who tells him, “Anybody who would campaign at a beer joint in Joiner at midnight on Saturday night deserves to carry one box. . . . You’ll win here. But it’ll be the only damn place you win in this county.” (He was right on both counts.) • The roller-coaster ride of the 1992 campaign. • The extraordinarily frank exchanges with Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole. • The delicate manipulation needed to convince Rabin and Arafat to shake hands for the camera while keeping Arafat from kissing Rabin. • The cost, both public and private, of the scandal that threatened the presidency. Here is the life of a great national and international figure, revealed with all his talents and contradictions, told openly, directly, in his own completely recognizable voice. A unique book by a unique American.
During the fifty years he has been variously a reporter, a political spokesperson, and a broadcaster, Bill Moyers has demonstrated a deep commitment to understanding the workings of our government and the role of the individual in society. His essays and commentaries, such as the recent “Shivers Down the Spine,” “A Time for Anger,” and “Journalism Under Fire,” are argued over and passed along as soon as they appear in print or on the Internet. Identifying what he sees as a political system increasingly at the mercy of a corporate ruling class, he urges a reengagement with the spirit of community that makes the work of democracy possible. Not only a trenchant critique of what is wrong, Moyers on America is also a call to arms for the progressive promise of the people of America, in whom his faith is strong.
“Puts [the phenomena of Satanism] in the context of folklore and folk traditions . . . Highly recommended as a lucid and well-documented account.” —Library Journal Raising the Devil reveals how the Christian Pentecostal movement, right-wing conspiracy theories, and an opportunistic media turned grassroots folk traditions into the Satanism scare of the 1980s. During the mid-twentieth century, devil worship was seen as merely an isolated practice of medieval times. But by the early 1980s, many influential experts in clinical medicine and in law enforcement were proclaiming that satanic cults were widespread and dangerous. By examining the broader context for alleged “cult” activity, Bill Ellis demonstrates how the image of contemporary Satanism emerged. In some of the cases Ellis considers, common folk beliefs and rituals were misunderstood as evidence of devil worship. In others, narratives and rituals themselves were used to combat satanic forces. As the media found such stories attractive, any activity with even remotely occult overtones was demonized in order to fit a model of absolute good confronting evil. Ellis’s wide-ranging investigation covers ouija boards, cattle mutilation, graveyard desecration, and “diabolical medicine” —the psychiatric community’s version of exorcism. He offers a balanced view of contentious issues such as demonic possession, satanic ritual abuse, and the testimonies of confessing “ex-Satanists.” A trained folklorist, Ellis navigates a middle road, and his insights into informal religious traditions clarify how the image of Satanism both explained and created deviant behavior. “An interesting analysis of satanic folklore and organized anti-satanism in the US and UK.” —Choice “Shows how ancient bogeyman beliefs became aligned with politics and the criminal justice system to produce witch-hunts like the infamous McMartin Preschool case.” —Mother Jones
Reproduction of the original. The publishing house Megali specialises in reproducing historical works in large print to make reading easier for people with impaired vision.
Rhyme your way through the alphabet—and up the coconut tree!—with this delightfully illustrated children’s book by the creators of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. A told B, and B told C, “I’ll meet you at the top of the coconut tree.” So begins the lively alphabet rhyme that children and their parents love to recite. Bill Martin and John Archambault’s rhythmic chant and Caldecott Honor artist Lois Ehlert’s bold, cheerful art make this rollicking story an ideal companion to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
Both a memoir and a "how-to" for anyone who aspires to a career in broadcast journalism, particularly sports, this book calls on Mercer's vast experience and name recognition in Texas to give an insider's view of everything from play-by-play to interviewing a celebrity athlete. Mercer began his career as the voice of professional wrestling in Dallas in the 1950s, and later went on to be a play-by-play announcer for teams ranging from the Dallas Cowboys to the Chicago White Sox, in addition to a brief "hard news" stint at the time of the Kennedy assassination in Dallas in 1963.
One of the most complete annual baseball references available, this updated guidebook includes informative introductions to its different sections and an extensive glossary that features explanations and a multitude of statistics.
When the Oracle of Delphi told Alexander the Great that he was invincible, it was right. The son of the great King Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander was educated by Aristotle and commanded a wing of his father's army in the victory over the Thebans and Athenians at the Battle of Chaeronea—all when he was still just a teenager. By the time of his death at age 32, he had amassed an empire that stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River and included all of Persia and most of Egypt. He ruled as both the shah of Persia and as a pharaoh of Egypt by right of conquest, and he was also crowned king of Asia. Here, historian Bill Yenne illuminates the legendary vision of this classical hero. Exhibiting the best traits of a battlefield leader, Alexander was audacious, aggressive, fearless and victorious. His unfailing integration of strategic vision and tactical genius took him to the ends of the earth, and into immortality as a military leader. Alexander's influence on cultural and political history and the scope of his military prowess remains awe-inspiring to this day.
During the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, much of the world watched and celebrated as athletes broke world records and took home medals, fulfilling their Olympic dreams. The athletes' scores were available instantaneously and are now easily accessible, but what about the performance records of the first modern Olympic athletes? The Modern Olympic Games began in 1896 in Athens, Greece, but an official record of these Olympic games does not exist. This work is the first in a series of comprehensive reference works giving the results of the Olympic Games, beginning in 1896. Based primarily on 1896 sources, the sites, dates, events, competitors, and nations as well as the event results are compiled herein for track and field, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, shooting, swimming, tennis (lawn), weightlifting, wrestling and other sports and events. Although mainly a statistical analysis, this work does include a short synopsis of the Sorbonne Congress and reprints of famous articles about the Olympics.
From one of the most beloved and bestselling authors in the English language, a vivid, nostalgic and utterly hilarious memoir of growing up in the middle of the United States in the middle of the last century. A book that delivers on the promise that it is “laugh-out-loud funny.” Some say that the first hints that Bill Bryson was not of Planet Earth came from his discovery, at the age of six, of a woollen jersey of rare fineness. Across the moth-holed chest was a golden thunderbolt. It may have looked like an old college football sweater, but young Bryson knew better. It was obviously the Sacred Jersey of Zap, and proved that he had been placed with this innocuous family in the middle of America to fly, become invisible, shoot guns out of people’s hands from a distance, and wear his underpants over his jeans in the manner of Superman. Bill Bryson’s first travel book opened with the immortal line, “I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to.” In this hilarious new memoir, he travels back to explore the kid he once was and the weird and wonderful world of 1950s America. He modestly claims that this is a book about not very much: about being small and getting much larger slowly. But for the rest of us, it is a laugh-out-loud book that will speak volumes – especially to anyone who has ever been young.
The South -- an inspiration for songwriters, a source of styles, and the birthplace of many of the nation's greatest musicians -- plays a defining role in American musical history. It is impossible to think of American music of the past century without such southern-derived forms as ragtime, jazz, blues, country, bluegrass, gospel, rhythm and blues, Cajun, zydeco, Tejano, rock'n'roll, and even rap. Musicians and listeners around the world have made these vibrant styles their own. Southern Music/American Music is the first book to investigate the facets of American music from the South and the many popular forms that emerged from it. In this substantially revised and updated edition, Bill C. Malone and David Stricklin bring this classic work into the twenty-first century, including new material on recent phenomena such as the huge success of the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? and the renewed popularity of Southern music, as well as important new artists Lucinda Williams, Alejandro Escovedo, and the Dixie Chicks, among others. Extensive bibliographic notes and a new suggested listening guide complete this essential study.
The 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis were both unusual and controversial. One of the major problems for Olympic scholars has been to determine which of the events at these Games were truly of Olympic caliber. The Games were included as part of the World's Fair, and every athletic contest that took place under the Fair's auspices was deemed "Olympic." These activities included croquet and water polo, high school and college championships in football and basketball, as well as the "Anthropology Days" events in which members of "primitive" "tribes" competed against one another. The author demonstrates, after great deliberation, that 16 events of the 21 overall were truly Olympic sports and gives descriptions, scores, and analyses for each (as well as for the five non-Olympic events). Appendices include literature relating to these games, lists of noncompeting foreign entrants, and a guide to all competitors.
When Bill James published his original Historical Baseball Abstract in 1985, he produced an immediate classic, hailed by the Chicago Tribune as the “holy book of baseball.” Now, baseball's beloved “Sultan of Stats” (The Boston Globe) is back with a fully revised and updated edition for the new millennium. Like the original, The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is really several books in one. The Game provides a century's worth of American baseball history, told one decade at a time, with energetic facts and figures about How, Where, and by Whom the game was played. In The Players, you'll find listings of the top 100 players at each position in the major leagues, along with James's signature stats-based ratings method called “Win Shares,” a way of quantifying individual performance and calculating the offensive and defensive contributions of catchers, pitchers, infielders, and outfielders. And there's more: the Reference section covers Win Shares for each season and each player, and even offers a Win Share team comparison. A must-have for baseball fans and historians alike, The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is as essential, entertaining, and enlightening as the sport itself.
The bestselling author of "The End of Nature" now looks into the not-so-distant future, when genetic science, robotics, and nanotechnology will push against the very door of humankind's immortality, and he challenges readers to confront this most profound question of their existence with care, intelligence, and ultimately, humility.
Baptist churches and their members have encompassed a range of theological interpretations and a variety of social and political viewpoints. At first glance, Baptist theology seems classically Protestant in its emphasis on the Trinity, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture, salvation by faith alone, and baptism by immersion. Yet the interpretation and implementation of these beliefs have made Baptists one of the most fragmented denominations in the United States, often characterized as a people who "multiply by dividing." In Baptists in America, Bill J. Leonard traces the history of Baptists, beginning with their origins in seventeenth-century Holland and England. He examines the development of Baptist beliefs and practices, offering an overview of the various denominations and fellowships within Baptism, and considers the disputes surrounding the question of biblical authority, the ordinances (baptism and the Lord's Supper), congregational forms of church governance, and religious liberty. Leonard also examines the role of Baptists in the Fundamentalist and Social Gospel movements of the early twentieth century, the Civil Rights movement, and the growth of the Religious Right. Leonard explores the social and religious issues currently dividing Baptists, including race, the ordination of women, the separation of church and state, and sexuality. He concludes with a discussion of the future of Baptist identity in America.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.