“A perfect summer read [that] brims with heart . . . Don’t be surprised if you keep turning the pages long into the night, spellbound by its magic.”—The Denver Post A sweeping saga about four generations of a family who live and love on an enchanting island off the coast of Italy—combining the romance of Beautiful Ruins with the magical tapestry of works by Isabel Allende. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • Los Angeles Public Library • Kirkus Reviews “Captivating . . . [Catherine] Banner’s four-generation saga is set on an island near Sicily, where myths of saints get served up with limoncello at the Esposito family’s bar. . . . The island is fictional, but consider this dreamy summer read your passport.”—People “A lusty page-turner that weaves romance, rivalry and the intricacies of family expectations into one glorious tale.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune Castellamare is an island far enough away from the mainland to be forgotten, but not far enough to escape from the world’s troubles. At the center of the island’s life is a café draped with bougainvillea called the House at the Edge of Night, where the community gathers to gossip and talk. Amedeo Esposito, a foundling from Florence, finds his destiny on the island with his beautiful wife, Pina, whose fierce intelligence, grace, and unwavering love guide her every move. An indiscretion tests their marriage, and their children—three sons and an inquisitive daughter—grow up and struggle with both humanity’s cruelty and its capacity for love and mercy. Spanning nearly a century, through secrets and mysteries, trials and sacrifice, this beautiful and haunting novel follows the lives of the Esposito family and the other islanders who live and love on Castellamare: a cruel count and his bewitching wife, a priest who loves scandal, a prisoner of war turned poet, an outcast girl who becomes a pillar of strength, a wounded English soldier who emerges from the sea. The people of Castellamare are transformed by two world wars and a great recession, by the threat of fascism and their deep bonds of passion and friendship, and by bitter rivalries and the power of forgiveness. Catherine Banner has written an enthralling, character-rich novel, epic in scope but intimate in feeling. At times, the island itself seems alive, a mythical place where the earth heaves with stories—and this magical novel takes you there. Praise for The House at the Edge of Night “A gorgeous, sweeping story set over four generations . . . calls to mind Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and Beautiful Ruins.”—Interview “Like pictures of a childhood summer, or a half-forgotten smell, this book is sweet and heady with nostalgia . . . [and] comforting as a quilt.”—NPR “Rich and immersive, this book will take you away.”—Vox “A masterful piece of storytelling, infused with the miraculous (both in stories and in everyday life) while maintaining the difficult balance between the explainable versus the inexplicable . . . captivating and beautifully rendered.”—Sara Gruen, author of At the Water’s Edge
Harlan's family left the capital city when he was just eight days old, fleeing the outbreak of war, taking with them only what they could carry in their pockets. Since that dangerous and frightening journey in the dead of winter, they have lived on Holy Island, where Maria hoped her children could find peace. But peace of mind has always eluded Harlan, and now that the island is threatened he must come to terms with his own place in history. Forced to make a perilous journey back to the ruins of the homeland he never properly knew, can Harlan bring his family back together?"--Back cover.
Asking for the truth can be as painful as telling it. . . . Anselm Andros has clearly defined roles in his family and they are roles he plays very well—he is confidante to his mother, Maria. He is the confessor to his stepfather, Leo, a man haunted by the secrets of his past. And Anselm is also the patient, caring brother to his precocious sister, Jasmine. When the political landscape of Malonia starts to shift, this unassuming family begins to unravel. Even though they’ve spent the past fifteen years leading a quiet life, Maria and Leo’s actions are forever linked to the turbulent history of Malonia and its parallel world, modern-day England. With so much uncertainty at home and in his world, it is more important than ever for Anselm to put all the pieces of the past together. He must listen to his own voice and acknowledge his fears and desires—whatever the cost.
Ten years have passed in war-torn Malonia since the king and queen were murdered and the throne usurped by Lucien and his rebel troops. The people believe the prince has been exiled to a far-away land, saved by a prophecy that threatened those who would harm him. But they ask themselves, Is the prince still alive? Has he actually been murdered along with his parents? A country on the brink of revolution awaits his return in silence. Leo is a rebellious soldier-in-training with secret powers. When wandering home one night, he stumbles upon a mysterious black book lying in the snow. Its strange aura and empty pages both frighten and fascinate him. Soon the pages begin to fill with the stories of Anna and Ryan in England – a country that is only a fairy tale in Malonia. When tragedy strikes, Leo tries to rid himself of the book but its stories haunt even his dreams. In The Eyes Of A King, a fast-paced novel with a unique style, these three fifteen-year-old characters, and the parallel worlds of contemporary England and the dictatorship of Malonia, become increasingly entangled. The Eyes of a King is founded on a detailed world of magic, Malonian traditions, and politics, but its focus is always on the human element. It will appeal to young readers who love epic adventure as well as those who seek a reflection of the day-to-day challenges of their own lives. Adults will also be swept up in this grand tale, in which the ordinary meets the extraordinary, dreams mingle with reality, and heaven and earth may co-exist.
It was September 14, 1814, and America and Great Britain were at war. Francis Scott Key watched from the deck of a British ship, where he was being held captive, as cannons exploded around them. After 25 hours, the fighting ceased and Key peered through the clearing smoke, looking for some sign as to the outcome of the battle. Was the American flag still flying? His wartime experience inspired Key to write a poem, which was later set to music and became America’s national anthem. This book tells the story of the inspiration behind our national anthem, which helped transform the flag into a major symbol of patriotism and identity.
Backed by interpersonal communication principles, models, and theory, this practical, clearly written handbook teaches everyone who works with terminally ill patients what to say and what not to say, how to manage conversations, and how to listen effectively in dozens of situations.
Strokes Book reviewer Darcy Dennison wants to wring her neighbor's neck. That's a crying shame considering how gorgeous the artist is, but she needs peace and quiet to get her work done. Models throwing fits in his apartment don't help. On a temporary work visa, Paolo Santori has little time to paint his nudes before returning to Italy to marry a woman he doesn't love. Then Darcy bursts into his life. The solution to her noise complaints is simple-she'll model his favorite subject while she works. Making her glisten thrills them both, but falling in love could mean losing everything he's ever known. Exhibition She can't even look at a picture of Michelangelo's David without wishing he would come alive and make love to her. So while her husband goes off to his boring conference, she goes to the erotic art exhibit at the gallery...and lets her imagination run wild. A nude thinks of her lover and masturbates with his image in her mind. A lady on a swing tempts a young swain as her skirt flies up. A god ravishes his virgin sacrifice. And a new concubine must think of a unique way to please her master. When she meets her husband at the end of the day, he reaps the rewards of her vivid fancies...and enjoys what she bought in the gift shop. Dante's Desire Masturbating can be so much fun-especially when you have a one-man audience. Addison loves sex. More importantly, she loves her body and isn't afraid to make it sing. Add a little voyeurism and it's totally erotic. Dante's muse has stalled-until his sexy neighbor starts seducing him. Through her bedroom window, he watches as her hands caress her tantalizing skin. It's like something out of a strip club, with his very own personal view. Thanks to this beauty, he's drawing like wildfire. To thank Addison, Dante sends her an invitation for a single night together. That night may encourages them to draw a new future...together. White-Hot and Hard Sensual. Seductive. Sculptures so erotic they become a white-hot feast for the eyes. That's what New York art promoter Sloan Benton sees the day she discovers the talent of sculptor Dallen O'Neal. Dallen's outrageous style gives Sloan a burning desire to learn more about him and the secret medium he's using. He's the sexiest, hottest, most dominant man she's ever met and the best new talent in town, but she realizes too late that he's also a painful, forgotten memory from her past. Dallen O'Neal wants revenge. Sloan Benton crushed his artistic spirit. He couldn't sculpt anything for years after her cruelty, but his desire for her never waned. When she accepts the invitation to view his work, then his challenge to strip naked for art's sake, he discovers Sloan's submissive side. They share wild sex and explore Sloan's penchant for spankings. Sloan captures his heart, but he thrusts her aside, intent on vengeance. Jealousy, sex, submission and a hint of exhibitionism mingle together, making Dallen's need for Sloan... White-hot and hard.
The nuns called her Esperanza because of her sweet face and ethereal beauty. But no one in that secluded desert convent knew that behind her angelic smile was a longing for passion that could only be satisfied by burning kisses from one man--her virile, gunslinging stepbrother! Don't miss this brand-new sizzler from the award-winning author of Satin and Steel.#Leisure.
More than just a catalog of recipes for the grill, this guide can help inexperienced grill cooks approach an intimidating medium with confidence, providing information on the essential--and not so essential--tools of the trade as well as tricks and tip
This book covers new ground in its focus on the Anglican Church congresses 1861-1938 as a public space in which the views of notable women were widely disseminated. It celebrates the contribution made by women to public life and discourse on womanhood as platform speakers, and commemorates the presence of the large numbers of women who joined congresses as audience members. Original research draws on extensive primary sources from official records, diaries and the press to capture women's views and voices and to evoke congress as a communicative social space and a window into topical affairs. Women and the Anglican Church Congress 1861-1938 examines the roles of women in the Church and reflects on how women with a sense of vocation negotiated contemporary attitudes to their positions and spirituality. The book also explores how women's secular aspirations towards citizenship in the context of poverty, work, temperance, eugenics, class and suffrage played out at congress.
• Shares 159 short exercises and practices to tap instantly into your subconscious mind and receive answers to your most important questions • Explains how to dialogue with and understand the imagery and metaphors that arise during these practices • Offers powerful practices to discover your areas of “stuckness” and quickly clear them, thus releasing past traumas and ancestral patterns and freeing the flow of the imagination for enhanced creativity and joy in life In this step-by-step guide to kabbalistic practices to connect with your natural inner genius and liberate the light within you, Catherine Shainberg reveals how to tap instantly into the subconscious and receive answers to urgent questions. This method, called the Kabbalah of Light, originated with Rabbi Isaac the Blind of Posquieres (1160-1235) and has been passed down by an ancient kabbalistic family, the Sheshet of Gerona, in an unbroken transmission spanning more than 800 years. The modern lineage holder of the Kabbalah of Light, Shainberg shares 159 short experiential exercises and practices to help you begin dialoguing with your subconscious through images. The images that pop up during these practices are unexpected and revelatory, and she discusses how to open them to greater understanding. At first, they may show you aspects of yourself you don’t like. But seeing them serves as both a diagnosis and a direct path to transformation. Fast and simple, the practices can help you discover your areas of “stuckness,” release past traumas and ancestral patterns, free the imagination, and open the way to the bliss promised us in the Garden of Eden. Beginning this fertile dialogue with your inner world leads you to uncover your soul’s purpose and manifest your dreams in this world. Once your inner dream world and outer reality have merged, you will be able to see your superconscious--your soul’s blueprint--and experience the ecstatic illumination of a heart-centered life.
Irish-born and Irish-descended soldiers and sailors were involved in every major engagement of the American Civil War. Throughout the conflict, they shared their wartime experiences through songs and song lyrics, leaving behind a vast trove of ballads in songbooks, letters, newspaper publications, wartime diaries, and other accounts. Taken together, these songs and lyrics offer an underappreciated source of contemporary feelings and opinions about the war. Catherine V. Bateson’s Irish American Civil War Songs provides the first in-depth exploration of Irish Americans’ use of balladry to portray and comment on virtually every aspect of the war as witnessed by the Irish on the front line and home front. Bateson considers the lyrics, themes, and sentiments of wartime songs produced in America but often originating with those born across the Atlantic in Ireland and Britain. Her analysis gives new insight into views held by the Irish migrant diaspora about the conflict and the ways those of Irish descent identified with and fought to defend their adopted homeland. Bateson’s investigation of Irish American song lyrics within the context of broader wartime experiences enhances our understanding of the Irish contribution to the American Civil War. At the same time, it demonstrates how Irish songs shaped many American balladry traditions as they laid the foundation of the Civil War’s musical soundscape.
Everyday Religiosity and the Politics of Belonging in Ukraine reveals how and why religion has become a pivotal political force in a society struggling to overcome the legacy of its entangled past with Russia and chart a new future. If Ukraine is "ground zero" in the tensions between Russia and the West, religion is an arena where the consequences of conflicts between Russia and Ukraine keenly play out. Vibrant forms of everyday religiosity pave the way for religion to be weaponized and securitized to advance political agendas in Ukraine and beyond. These practices, Catherine Wanner argues, enable religiosity to be increasingly present in public spaces, public institutions, and wartime politics in a pluralist society that claims to be secular. Based on ethnographic data and interviews conducted since before the Revolution of Dignity and the outbreak of armed combat in 2014, Wanner investigates the conditions that catapulted religiosity, religious institutions, and religious leaders to the forefront of politics and geopolitics.
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