A woman in post-apartheid South Africa confronts her family’s troubling past in this taut and daring novel about national trauma and collective guilt—from the Booker Prize–longlisted author of An Island. “Extraordinary . . . unputdownable.”—Roddy Doyle Cape Town, 2028. The land cracks from a years-long drought, the nearby mountains threaten to burn, and the queue for the water trucks grows ever longer. In her crumbling corner of a public housing complex, Deidre van Deventer receives a call from the South African police. Her family home, recently reclaimed by the government, has become the scene of a criminal investigation. The remains of several bodies have just been unearthed from her land, after decades underground. Detectives pepper Deidre with questions: Was your brother a member of a pro-apartheid group in the 1990s? Is it true that he was building bombs as part of a terrorist plot? Deidre doesn’t know the answers to the detectives’ questions. All she knows is that she was denied—repeatedly—the life she felt she deserved. Overshadowed by her brother, then left behind by her daughter after she emigrated, Deidre must watch over her aging mother and make do with government help and the fading generosity of her neighbors while the landscape around her grows more and more combustible. As alarming evidence from the investigation continues to surface, and detectives pressure her to share what she knows of her family’s disturbing past, Deidre must finally face her own shattered memories so that something better might emerge for her and her country. In exquisitely spare prose, Karen Jennings weaves a singularly powerful novel about post-apartheid South Africa. It is an unforgettable, propulsive story of fractured families, collective guilt, the ways we become trapped in prisons of our own making, and how we can begin to break free.
NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE • LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE • A “beautifully and sparingly constructed” (The New York Times) novel about a lighthouse keeper with a mysterious past, and the stranger who washes up on his shores—An Island is the American debut of a major voice in world literature. “An Island by Karen Jennings is quite simply a revelation—a ferocious, swift chess game of a novel.”—Paul Yoon, author of Run Me to Earth ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Vulture Samuel has lived alone on an island off the coast of an unnamed African country for more than two decades. He tends to his garden, his lighthouse, and his chickens, content with a solitary life. Routinely, the nameless bodies of refugees wash ashore, but Samuel—who understands that the government only values certain lives, certain deaths—always buries them himself. One day, though, he finds that one of these bodies is still breathing. As he nurses the stranger back to life, Samuel—feeling strangely threatened—is soon swept up in memories of his former life as a political prisoner on the mainland. This was a life that saw his country exploited under colonial rule, followed by a period of revolution and a brief, hard-won independence—only for the cycle of suffering to continue under a cruel dictator. And he can’t help but recall his own shameful role in that history. In this stranger’s presence, he begins to consider, as he did in his youth: What does it mean to own land, or to belong to it? And what does it cost to have, and lose, a home? A timeless and gripping portrait of regret, terror, and the extraordinary stakes of companionship, An Island is a story as page-turning as it is profound.
Keep kids involved and enthused about writing with these cleverly designed exercises. Ready-to-use worksheets make it easy to teach comedic writing in lessons that develop language skills and reading comprehension. For example, in the chapter on wordplay, students learn about homonyms, homophones, and malapropisms. While studying the ways in which descriptive language can be used to comedic effect, students employ similes, metaphors, and quotations. In the chapter on personal narratives, they practice brainstorming and prewriting, and in the section on comedic genres, they learn about parodies and anecdotes. Grades 4-6. Answer key. Suggested readings. Illustrated. Good Year Books. 58 pages.
Annie and Katie met in college, and started working in their respective fields of endeavor. They met two men who would change not only their lives, but they would all learn the importance of communication. Annie and Katie came very close to losing not only their true loves, but their lives.
A seasoned storyteller helps teachers use stories to capture students' attention and expose them to 13 folk and fairy tales from around the world. The guide addresses everything a beginner needs to know, including how to warm up the audience, start and end a story, and assure audience involvement. Follow-up activities for each tale incorporate subjects such as creative writing, art, drama, math, science, geography, and history. Grades K-5. Suggested resources. Illustrated. Good Year Books. 117 pages.
Bestselling novelist Tracie Peterson joins Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Jen Turano in this collection of four novellas, each featuring a Harvey Girl heroine. From Kansas to Texas, the Grand Canyon to New Mexico, the stories cross the country with tales of sweet romance and entertaining history. In Karen Witemeyer's "More Than a Pretty Face," a young woman works her hardest to escape poor choices from her youth. Tracie Peterson offers "A Flood of Love," where reuniting with an old flame after more than a decade offers unexpected results. Regina Jennings's "Intrigue a la Mode" delights with a tale of a young woman determined to help support her family, despite warnings of danger nearby. And Jen Turano's "Grand Encounters" heads to the Grand Canyon with a tale of a society belle intent on finding a new life for herself.
In 1722, Seven Mile Beach, covered in red cedar and holly, bayberry bushes and beach plums, was acquired by the Leaming family, who used it for grazing and whaling. Long undeveloped, the southern portion of the island was sold to the South Jersey Realty Company in 1907. The Risley brothers sold bonds to support their vision of a seaside resort serving the wealthy of Philadelphia. Dunes were leveled, roads laid out, and basins dredged, creating the ideal vacation destination. Grand hotels shared space with workmen's cottages, and businesses sprang up to serve the crowds who flocked to Stone Harbor. The maritime ties of the community are evident in the long history of the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor, which traces its beginnings to as early as 1895. The clubhouse, built in 1909 and standing on its original site, is host to sailing and social activities throughout the year.
Longlisted for the Booker Prize. Samuel is now an old man. For many years he has lived alone on a small island where he is the lighthouse keeper. Until the day when a young refugee washes up on the beach, all but dead. Samuel nurses him back to life but he is unsettled by the intruder. He cannot understand a word the stranger says, and his presence stirs traumatic memories of Samuel’s days on the mainland, memories of rebellion, betrayal, tyranny and imprisonment. Who is the stranger? Why has he come? What does he want? The island belongs to Samuel now. But what does land mean? Who should own and control it? How far can you go to protect what is yours? Karen Jennings’ An Island explores ideas that are as old as stories themselves—about guilt and fear, friendship and rejection, the meaning of home.
The island eventually known as Sea Isle was first purchased by Joseph Ludlam in 1692 for use as a grazing pasture. The island changed almost overnight when Charles K. Landis purchased it in 1880, intent on creating a seaside resort. After adding a railroad and hotels, tourists soon followed. The boardwalk hosted beach parties; clam bakes; and bicycle, sack, and even motorcycle races. Wedged between the Atlantic Ocean and the back bays, commercial fishing companies shared the waters with casual anglers. Recreational sailing, yacht racing, and sport fishing have long been popular with Sea Isles year-round residents and visitors alike. Sea Isle City Revisited showcases the rich maritime and recreational history of this New Jersey coastal town.
Poetry. SPACE INHABITED BY ECHOES is a frank and poignant collection of autobiographical poems that transport the reader across two continents, and the vast internal shifts that accompany love, loss and translocation. Part I tracks the author's relationships, their tentative beginnings, the blooming and withering of love, the shifts between different emotional landscapes. Part II deals with the shocks and adjustments involved in emigrating to a foreign country in order to be with the person you love. After moving from South Africa to Brazil, Jennings describes with great honesty the impact this has on her new marriage and her own heart -- significant in this era of migration, when many face these challenges. Part III shows the gradual shifts the author makes as she reaches out into her new environment, taking comfort and inspiration from the flora and fauna around her. And Part IV revisits family ties back in South Africa, as the author contemplates those who shaped her: her mother, grandfather, a ghost twin, and deals with the surprise of a newly discovered relative.
Humorous Historical Romance Novella Collection Offers Love and Laughs Four top historical romance novelists team up in this new collection to offer stories of love and romance with a twist of humor. In Karen Witemeyer's "The Husband Maneuver," Marietta Hawkins decides to grab the reins when the ranch foreman she loves seems to be leaving forever. Regina Jennings offers "Her Dearly Unintended," where friends stranded by a rising river pretend to be newlyweds when a dangerous stranger arrives. Mary Connealy's "Runaway Bride" finds a Texas ranger getting more than he expected when he rescues a young woman fleeing a dangerous arranged marriage. And Melissa Jagears' "Engaging the Competition" finds a young woman forced to assist the man she's sparred with for so long after an accident leaves him helpless. Each tale is a fun blend of history and romance that will delight readers.
This second story evolved after the first book was completed. Annie and Katie's family just couldn't end with one generation similar to my own loud loving family. When strong bonds are required both families join together to face all that life gives us. We love, we laugh, and we forgive.
There's a secret matchmaker at work in frontier Texas! In the small town of Dry Gulch, Texas, a good-hearted busybody just can't keep herself from surreptitiously trying to match up women in dire straits with men of good character she hopes can help them. How is she to know she's also giving each couple a little nudge toward love? A Cowboy Unmatched Neill isn't sure who hired him to repair Clara's roof--he only knows Clara desperately needs his help. Can he convince this stubborn widow to let down her guard and take another chance on love? An Unforeseen Match Hoping to earn an honest wage on his way to the land rush, Clayton ends up on Grace's doorstep, lured by a classified ad. He may have signed on for more than he expected though--and he may have found the one woman who can keep him from moving on. No Match for Love Andrew can't fathom how refined Lucy ended up as the caretaker to his dotty aunt, and somehow her arrival has prompted even more bizarre occurrences around the ranch. When they join forces to unearth the truth, will the attraction between Andrew and Lucy develop into more? Meeting Her Match When the tables are turned and a tenderhearted meddler becomes the beneficiary of a matchmaking scheme, her world is turned upside down. As her entire life changes, will she finally be able to tell the banker's son how much she cares for him?
Sheikh Ra’id Ossamah Abdul Hasib has a charmed life. He comes from a loving family, he is the ruler of his country and is massively wealthy; but something is missing from his life-until the day he saw a beautiful pair of legs coming out of a construction van. Amanda Pearson had to work her way through college and graduated at the top of her engineering class. She put together a small crew of fellow students and opened her own construction company. They struggled for a few years until she saw an opportunity to bid on a job in the Middle East. Amanda isn’t looking for a man and is working to build her business, and then she meets Ra’id. Something about the man made her look twice, and that is all they needed. Love is in the air, but so is obsession. Sabeera grew up with Ra’id and is determined to have him in her life. Nothing is going to stop her from having the man that she loves, and she is willing to play a dangerous game to get him.
Four top historical romance novelists team up in this new collection to offer stories of love and romance with a twist of humor. In Karen Witemeyer's "The Love Knot," Claire Nevin gets the surprise of her life awaiting her sister's arrival by train. Mary Connealy's "The Tangled Ties That Bind" offers the story of two former best friends who are reunited while escaping a stampede. Regina Jennings offers "Bound and Determined," where a most unusual trip across barren Oklahoma plains is filled with adventure, romance, and . . . camels? And Melissa Jagears' "Tied and True" entertains with a tale of two hearts from different social classes who become entwined at a cotton thread factory. Each tale is a fun blend of history and romance that will delight readers.
Baba is a farmer and a father of five sons who sang the song each morning before going into the field to work. Baba taught each of his sons that when you rise each morning, give thanks and sing this song.
HELP! There's a VEGAN Coming For Dinner! INDIAN STYLE contains delicious meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free recipes for everything from appetizers to desserts. Each of the vegan dishes is accompanied by a colour photograph and instructions. Most of the recipes are naturally gluten-free, but alternative ingredients are suggested where appropriate.
Samuel has lived alone for a long time; one morning he finds the sea has brought someone to offer companionship and to threaten his solitude... A young refugee washes up unconscious on the beach of a small island inhabited by no one but Samuel, an old lighthouse keeper. Unsettled, Samuel is soon swept up in memories of his former life on the mainland: a life that saw his country suffer under colonisers, then fight for independence, only to fall under the rule of a cruel dictator; and he recalls his own part in its history. In this new man’s presence he begins to consider, as he did in his youth, what is meant by land and to whom it should belong. To what lengths will a person go in order to ensure that what is theirs will not be taken from them? A novel about guilt and fear, friendship and rejection; about the meaning of home"--
Sheikh Ra'id Ossamah Abdul Hasib has a charmed life. He comes from a loving family, he is the ruler of his country and is massively wealthy; but something is missing from his life-until the day he saw a beautiful pair of legs coming out of a construction van. Amanda Pearson had to work her way through college and graduated at the top of her engineering class. She put together a small crew of fellow students and opened her own construction company. They struggled for a few years until she saw an opportunity to bid on a job in the Middle East. Amanda isn't looking for a man and is working to build her business, and then she meets Ra'id. Something about the man made her look twice, and that is all they needed. Love is in the air, but so is obsession. Sabeera grew up with Ra'id and is determined to have him in her life. Nothing is going to stop her from having the man that she loves, and she is willing to play a dangerous game to get him.
Eleven-year-old Jon Walker is excited about summer vacation. He loves spending time at his grandparents' farm along the Big Cypress River, and this year promises to be a whole lot of fun. But as soon as he arrives at the farmhouse, tragedy strikes, Grandpa's beloved dog, Ole Blue, has been mysteriously killed.
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