The young man is listening to Grandpa tell about the time he was a Deputy Sheriff. He sits on the edge of his seat as Grandpa tells about wild chases, murders he investigated, fights he had and the interesting calls he went on. Later in time, Grandpa passes away and the young man wishes he would have written down some of the things Grandpa said. Now those stories are gone forever. Michael Patrick retired in 2005 after a 33 year career in law enforcement. He realized he could be that "Grandpa" and unless he wrote his experiences down now they would be lost forever. "On The Beat" chronicles the law enforcement career of Michael Patrick. It tells about the agencies he worked for and the beats he worked. Read about wild car chases, a shooting he was in, murders he investigated, the fights and many of the interesting calls he went on. Read entries from a diary he kept in the beginning years when he was a "know-it-all rookie". "On The Beat" will give you an accurate picture of the career and personality of a veteran law enforcement officer....
The anti-busing riots of 1974 forever changed Southie, Boston's working class Irish community, branding it as a violent, racist enclave. Michael Patrick MacDonald grew up in Southie's Old Colony housing project. He describes the way this world within a world felt to the troubled yet keenly gifted observer he was even as a child: "[as if] we were protected, as if the whole neighborhood was watching our backs for threats, watching for all the enemies we could never really define." But the threats-poverty, drugs, a shadowy gangster world-were real. MacDonald lost four of his siblings to violence and poverty. All Souls is heart-breaking testimony to lives lost too early, and the story of how a place so filled with pain could still be "the best place in the world." We meet Ma, Michael's mini-skirted, accordian-playing, usually single mother who cares for her children—there are eventually eleven—through a combination of high spirits and inspired "getting over." And there are Michael's older siblings—Davey, sweet artist-dreamer; Kevin, child genius of scam; and Frankie, Golden Gloves boxer and neighborhood hero—whose lives are high-wire acts played out in a world of poverty and pride. But too soon Southie becomes a place controlled by resident gangster Whitey Bulger, later revealed to be an FBI informant even as he ran the drug culture that Southie supposedly never had. It was a world primed for the escalation of class violence-and then, with deadly and sickening inevitability, of racial violence that swirled around forced busing. MacDonald, eight years old when the riots hit, gives an explosive account of the asphalt warfare. He tells of feeling "part of it all, part of something bigger than I'd ever imagined, part of something that was on the national news every night." Within a few years-a sequence laid out in All Souls with mesmerizing urgency-the neighborhood's collapse is echoed by the MacDonald family's tragedies. All but destroyed by grief and by the Southie code that doesn't allow him to feel it, MacDonald gets out. His work as a peace activist, first in the all-Black neighborhoods of nearby Roxbury, then back to the Southie he can't help but love, is the powerfully redemptive close to a story that will leave readers utterly shaken and changed.
This utterly unconventional narrative of reinvention begins with the young MacDonald's first forays outside the soul-crushing walls of Southie's Old Colony housing project. He provides one-of-a-kind 1980s social history and a powerful glimpse of what punk music was for him.
“A book that should be read . . . Smith brings an alchemic talent to describing physical labor.” —The New York Times Book Review “Beautiful, funny, and harrowing.” – Sarah Smarsh, The Atlantic “Remarkable . . . this is the book that Hillbilly Elegy should have been.” —Kirkus Reviews A vivid window into the world of working class men set during the Bakken fracking boom in North Dakota Like thousands of restless men left unmoored in the wake of the 2008 economic crash, Michael Patrick Smith arrived in the fracking boomtown of Williston, North Dakota five years later homeless, unemployed, and desperate for a job. Renting a mattress on a dirty flophouse floor, he slept boot to beard with migrant men who came from all across America and as far away as Jamaica, Africa and the Philippines. They ate together, drank together, argued like crows and searched for jobs they couldn't get back home. Smith's goal was to find the hardest work he could do--to find out if he could do it. He hired on in the oil patch where he toiled fourteen hour shifts from summer's 100 degree dog days to deep into winter's bracing whiteouts, all the while wrestling with the demons of a turbulent past, his broken relationships with women, and the haunted memories of a family riven by violence. The Good Hand is a saga of fear, danger, exhaustion, suffering, loneliness, and grit that explores the struggles of America's marginalized boomtown workers—the rough-hewn, castoff, seemingly disposable men who do an indispensable job that few would exalt: oil field hands who, in the age of climate change, put the gas in our tanks and the food in our homes. Smith, who had pursued theater and played guitar in New York, observes this world with a critical eye; yet he comes to love his coworkers, forming close bonds with Huck, a goofy giant of a young man whose lead foot and quick fists get him into trouble with the law, and The Wildebeest, a foul-mouthed, dip-spitting truck driver who torments him but also trains him up, and helps Smith "make a hand." The Good Hand is ultimately a book about transformation--a classic American story of one man's attempt to burn himself clean through hard work, to reconcile himself to himself, to find community, and to become whole.
Michael Patrick Murtaugh has been sober for more than thirteen years. After so much time working on himself, reflecting on where his life went wrong, and sharing his story with thousands of people across the country, the now founder and pastor of Life Recovery Church wanted to share his message of Jesus with a larger audience. In this book, he recalls the abuse he suffered growing up, multiple stints of homelessness, his service in the Army and what led to his honorable discharge, and the addiction that overtook his life from an early age. By the time he was forty-five, he’d been jailed seven times, and he knew something needed to change. It did when he checked himself into Calvary Addiction Recovery Center in 2010. Early on in his recovery, he realized that his story could make an impact on those who still struggle with pain, resentment, and addiction. That was all the motivation he needed to share the message of how he conquered his demons. Learn how Jesus Christ helped the author change his life forever and fueled him with an unstoppable energy to help others in Sentenced to a Life of Recovery.
Confessions of a Rock n Roll Wannabe is an anthology of poems, song lyrics, short stories and essays. Peppered with quasiautobiographical sketches and blurbs, it is at once a highly personal work and a candid portrayal of life in the world from Kings point of view. Structured in commentary form, it offers personal insights into the operation of one poets mind as he struggles to express what God has revealed to him. Thirty-four songs and eight poems comprise the first section of the book. These are divided into seven sections, according to purpose rather than to theme. Following them are three short stories and four essays, written to provoke rather than entertain.
A love letter to a community of Trappist monks who provided family when it was needed the most. This warmhearted memoir describes how a small, insecure boy with a vibrant imagination found an unlikely family in the company of monks at Holy Trinity Abbey, in the mountains of rural Latter-day Saint Utah. Struggling with his parents' recent divorce, Michael O'Brien discovered a community filled with warmth, humor, idiosyncrasies, and most of all, listening ears. Filled with anecdotes and delightful "behind the scenes" descriptions of his experiences living alongside the monks as they farmed, prayed, buried their dead, ate, and shared the joys of life, Monastery Mornings speaks to the value of spiritual fatherhood, the lasting impact of positive mentoring, and the stability that the spiritual life can offer to people of all ages and walks of life.
An “alternately funny and heartbreaking” memoir of leaving—and finding—home, by the author of All Souls: A Family Story from Southie (Newsweek). In All Souls, Michael Patrick MacDonald told the story of the loss of four of his siblings to the violence, poverty, and gangsterism of Irish South Boston. In Easter Rising, he tells the story of how he got out. Desperate to avoid the “normal” life of Southie, Michael first reinvents himself in the burgeoning punk rock movement and the thrilling vortex of Johnny Rotten, Mission of Burma, and the Clash. At nineteen, he escapes further, to Paris and then London. Finally, out of money, he contacts his Irish immigrant grandfather—who offers a loan, but only if Michael will visit Ireland. It is on this reluctant journey to his ancestral land that Michael will find a chance at reconciliation—with his heritage, his neighborhood, and his family—and, ultimately, a way forward.
Henry and Barby are neighbors, classmates, and more. Barby's family is affluent and well-to-do, while Henry's family leads a simple life on a small income. Feelings of ambivalence pervade young Henry's adolescence as he becomes involved with both Barby and her sister. Brandy, Barby's older sister, seduces Henry, and their secret sexual escapades entrap them in a love they try to ignore. As llenry struggles to endure the love of two sisters, college and careers carry them into adulthood. Then tragedy strikes, and the two families unite as they try to hold on to some kind of normalcy. These were the innocent years. The two teenagers sat and talked while warming themselves. "Henry, I hate you." Henry looked at Barby bewildered. "What did I do now?" Barby reached out and pulled his hair over his head covering his face. "Your hair looks nicer than mine. I refuse to associate with a boy who has hair like that. It's bad enough that it's longer but it looks nicer too!" He looked at her rolling his eyes back and forth. "So wash it once in a while." She slapped him across his shoulder with her open palm. "Ouch," she said. "Now you are trying to hurt me." Her face broke into a repressed grin. "Barby, you hit me, l didn't hit you." She pouted now, sticking out her bottom lip. "Do you think I'm pretty?" Henry put his hands over his face hiding his response. "I think Brandy is pretty," he said in a low voice-almost a whisper.
Today's Tea Party activists are motivated by the same ideological desires as our nation's Founding Fathers, argues Michael Patrick Leahy in this illuminating work of political history. Today's political class—in both parties and at all levels of government—shows a blatant disregard for both the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution. More and more Americans are fed up, and from this sweeping sense of discontent and anger the Tea Party movement has emerged, revitalizing the spirit of constitutionalist activism in the conservative world. According to author and Tea Party activist Michael Patrick Leahy, a similar lack of accountability ignited our nation's Founding Fathers, and they were motivated by the same ideological desires: to constitutionally limit government, ensure fiscal responsibility, and defend individual liberty. These imperatives were at the heart of what he calls a "covenant of liberty," which undergirds our written Constitution. Leahy traces these ideas to the libertarian traditions of the English Civil War. He explains why they were on the minds of Americans at the birth of the republic, and how they passed down largely intact from generation to generation, were broken by a corrupted political class, and have been rediscovered by the modern Tea Party movement. According to Leahy, the American constitutional covenant consists of four unwritten promises that most citizens continue to regard as crucial to our government's legitimacy. The story of how this covenant evolved and how its fundamental promises were broken forms the core of this unique and original work of political history. As Leahy shows, the first promise—to abide by the written words of the Constitution—was broken before the ink was dry on the nation's founding documents. The second—to refrain from interfering in private economic matters—was broken by the Republican Party in the 1860s. The third—to honor the customs, traditions, and principles that made up the "fiscal constitution"—was broken by Herbert Hoover 143 years after the establishment of our republic, a sad rupture conducted on an even grander scale by his successors, beginning with Franklin Roosevelt and continuing through the administration of Barack Obama. The breaking of these promises greatly accelerated the natural tendency of governments to centralize and consolidate power at the expense of individual liberty. Had not the fourth and final promise—that members of the legislative branch would exercise thoughtful deliberation while giving respectful consideration to the views of their constituents—been broken in such a disdainful and audacious manner in early 2009, the grassroots activists who came to make up the Tea Party would never have been impelled to take action. Drawing on his personal experience as the organizer of the online conservative community that launched the Tea Party movement in February 2009, Leahy documents how the timeless principles of American constitutionalism have been used to grow one of the most active and influential movements in American history.
Edwin Stratton grew up in rural Iowa, where he experienced both the love and loss of his family. When he turned eighteen, Edwin left his small hometown to experience the world. His adventures began in Omaha, Nebraska, where he saved the life of a police officer and began work translating the German language for the local police department and the local hospital. Edwin also became a part of the Chinatown community, where he learned the language and met the love of his life, Mu Waun. Edwin had been courting Mu Waun for almost a year when he received word that Mu Waun and her parents had been killed during a trip to China. In an effort to deal with this devastating loss and move on with his life, Edwin left Omaha to live and work in Promontory, Utah. As he began to leave the memory of Mu Waun behind, he received word that Mu Waun and her parents were alive in China and being held captive. The information was old, and Edwin realized he must go to China to find out once and for all if Mu Waun is alive or dead. Beginning in 1852 and spanning more than seventy-five years, this is a story filled with adventure, romance, danger, and unforgettable characters. It explores the human spirit and celebrates the bonds of family and the loyalties of friendship regardless of culture or location.
Reformed Christians do not believe in free will. This is a common assertion today and it is completely false. The Reformed tradition does advocate free will, just not libertarian free will. A Reformed View of Freedom: The Compatibility of Guidance Control and Reformed Theology explains how the Reformed tradition articulated its view of human freedom and moral responsibility in terms of rational spontaneity. It shows how the Reformed view of rational spontaneity is compatible with contemporary compatibilist and semi-compatibilist views, especially that of guidance control. This work addresses a number of pressing issues in the current academic climate. Is Reformed theology theological determinism? Is it compatibilism? Did Jonathan Edwards part ways with the Reformed tradition? What is the relationship between Reformed theology and contemporary compatibilist and semi-compatibilist positions in analytic philosophy? This book addresses these questions by exegeting the classic Reformed confessions, catechisms, and Reformed scholastics. It sets them in relation to contemporary analytic philosophy. It is an exercise in analytic theology. The reader will come away with a better understanding of how the Reformed viewed free will and moral responsibility in light of contemporary analytic philosophy.
This book is based upon Christ's words and tells you how you can know for sure that you are saved and will spend eternity in heaven. There are many false plans of salvation being taught by the great preachers of today which will not save you or prevent you from standing before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgement. When one stands before Christ at this judgement, they will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. Michael Bowen holds a Master's degree in English (Technical and Professional Communication) from East Carolina University. He is currently teaching college-level English composition at a community college and operates an IBM AS400 computer at a local hospital. He enjoys astronomy, martial arts, and reading.
James Joyce left Ireland in 1904 in self-imposed exile. Though he never permanently returned to Dublin, he continued to characterize the city in his prose throughout the rest of his life. This volume elucidates the ways Joyce wrote about his homeland with conflicting bitterness and affection—a common ambivalence in expatriate authors, whose time in exile tends to shape their creative approach to the world. Yet this duality has not been explored in Joyce’s work until now. The first book to read Joyce’s writing through the lens of exile studies, James Joyce and the Exilic Imagination challenges the tendency of scholars to stress the writer’s negative view of Ireland. Instead, it showcases the often-overlooked range of emotional attitudes imbuing Joyce’s work and produces a fuller understanding of Joyce’s canon.
In this book, Michael Patrick Barber examines the role of the Jerusalem temple in the teaching of the historical Jesus. Drawing on recent discussions about methodology and memory research in Jesus studies, he advances a fresh approach to reconstructing Jesus' teaching. Barber argues that Jesus did not reject the temple's validity but that he likely participated in and endorsed its rites. Moreover, he locates Jesus' teaching within Jewish apocalyptic eschatology, showing that Jesus' message about the coming kingdom and his disciples' place in it likely involved important temple and priestly traditions that have been ignored by the quest. Barber also highlights new developments in scholarship on the Gospel of Matthew to show that its Jewish perspective offers valuable but overlooked clues about the kinds of concerns that would have likely shaped Jesus' outlook. A bold approach to a key topic in biblical studies, Barber's book is a pioneering contribution to Jesus scholarship.
In this hard hitting and intellectually powerful response to Sam Harris' Letter to a Christian Nation, Michael Patrick Leahy exposes the intellectual dishonesty behind Mr. Harris' brand of Christian bashing atheistic evangelism. Leahy points out in devastating detail the numerous factual misrepresentations in Mr. Harris' book (for instance, debunking Mr. Harris' outrageous claim that 50% of all Americans believe the universe is only 6,000 years old--the facts show the number is 18% at most), and dismantles the simplistic solutions proposed by Mr. Harris. Stop violence by ending all faith ? Easier to try to stop the ocean tides. Limit the rights of Christians to participate in the political process ? In the name of justice then, Harris would oppress Christians, creating a world wide second class of citizens. Follow the model of fascists in Europe in dealing with the threat of Islamic fundamentalism ? Even fellow atheist Christopher Hitchens calls such a solution repugnant. Seekers of the truth from all faiths should run, not walk, to their keyboard or local book store and purchase Michael Patrick Leahy's Letter to an Atheist. Reviews Finally, a strong Christian voice addresses the intellectual dishonesty of atheistic evangelism Christine Schaub, best selling author of The Longing Season, the story of John Newton and Amazing Grace Michael Patrick Leahy skillfully debunks Harris' charge that serious Christians and Islamic radicals should be equally feared; He also exposes the bigotry and distortion typically shown by secularists when addressing Intelligent Design. More importantly, Leahy shows that Harris' proposed utopia, in which religion is caged and tamed by the secularists, hasalready been shown to produce a world that most do not care to inhabit. Ralph Seelke, Ph.D. Professor, Biology University of Wisconsin-Superior Michael Patrick Leahy's book is a substantive critique of the work of Sam Harris in Letter to a Christian Nation. Leahy shows how wrong minded and frankly lopsided Harris' view of reality ends up being. Good intellectual stuff. Dr. Bob Harrington Lead Pastor of Harpeth Community Church, Franklin, Tennessee A must-read for Christians and non-Christians who truly seek the truth about the toughest long-standing issues confronting humanity. Mr. Leahy has used a logical, step-by-step, reasoned, and well-referenced approach to engage and refute an attack on Christian positions and principles. The material is well worth reading and debating. I was especially impressed by the defense of Christians' track record in opposing slavery. With the recent public attention to the life and contribution of William Wilberforce, this chapter could not be more timely. Reginald Finger, MD, MPH Independent medical researcher About the Author Michael Patrick Leahy is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard, and has an MBA from Stanford. His professional career has been in technology marketing. For more information about the author, go to his website at http: //www.michaelpatrickleahy.com .
New Orleans: The Underground Guide shows visitors how to experience the Big Easy like a local, looking past staples like beignets and Bourbon Street to reveal a city bursting with contemporary and experimental art, genre-busting DJs, international cuisines, and even kid-friendly activities. This fully updated edition offers an expansive collection of alternative recommendations for exploring the city of Mardi Gras, brass bands, and weekly festivals. Featuring over two hundred new entries on local bands, rappers, restaurants with live music, galleries, and more, this guidebook takes readers on a one-of-a-kind journey through New Orleans, giving advice on everything from what thrift stores and bookshops to visit to what bands to catch in concert and what parades to attend. Lead author Michael Patrick Welch provides a detailed guide of the less traditional, more adventurous side of New Orleans, from bars that hold readings of poetry and erotic literature to costume shops that sell handmade masks, party supplies, and all the parade throws you can carry. Drawing on the wisdom of New Orleans celebrities, journalists, artists, and musicians from throughout the Crescent City, the fourth edition of New Orleans: The Underground Guide is an authentic and reliable resource for where locals listen to music, art hop, shop, eat, drink, and let loose.
Our love of films often leads us to discuss them in enthusiastic, if not necessarily sophisticated, conversations. Many moviegoers want a better understanding so that they might better articulate their experiences. This midpoint between theorizing and plot summary is not difficult to achieve. Since their introduction just before the turn of the 20th century, the vast majority of narrative films have followed the same structure—now known as Classic Hollywood Cinema. This book examines what “classic” means, particularly in Westerns, gangster films, film noir, horror, science fiction, slapstick comedy and screwball comedy/romance. The reader is introduced to concepts of film theory, which leads to a better and deeper appreciation of the movies. A 20-page comprehensive industry glossary of film terms is included for easy reference.
Series Summary The new What Every Catholic Should Know series is intended for the average faithful Catholic who wants to know more about Catholic faith and culture. The authors in this series take a panoramic approach to the topic of each book aimed at a non-specialist but enthusiastic readership. Forthcoming titles planned for this series include: literature, salvation, mercy, history, art, music and philosophy. Book Summary At every Sunday Mass, Catholics confess that Jesus came down from heaven “for us men and for our salvation.” But what does “salvation” mean? In this robust and accessible book, Scripture scholar and theologian Michael Patrick Barber provides a thorough, deeply Catholic, and deeply biblical, answer. He deftly tackles this complex topic, unpacking what the New Testament teaches about salvation in Christ, detailing what exactly salvation is, and what it is not. In easy and readable prose, he explains what the Cross, the Church, and the Trinity have to do with salvation. While intellectually stimulating, Salvation: What Every Catholic Should Know is deeply spiritual, and at its core is the salvific message that God is love, and his love is one of transformation and redemption.
When a time traveling drunk appears to help Michael Patrick Christopher Ireland create the Time Travel Experiment which leads to eventual time travel, well... It begins an odyssey of self-awareness and chaotic paradoxes that are caused and fixed by traveling through time and drinking whiskey.
Ask the Mad Poet: Observations from My Homeland in a Time of Convoluted Realities begins with the title poem, an invitation to “Ask the Mad Poet” (what better commentator on a mad world?), and ends with “I Ask a Few Questions,” a long, surreal overview of the poet’s generation based on a dream. In between, the fifty-four other poems, written from 2007 through 2014, include history, social commentary, celebrations, and, in “Mater Dei, Mater Gaia,” advocacy for Mother Earth. These are the poems of an aging man, lived beyond his three score ten, much of it working with the dispossessed, who feels a call to witness truth to power on behalf of the earth, the least among us, and the way things really are: a cry for balance in a world where the kings are in the counting house, the peasants fight for crumbs, and Mother Gaia burns.
This book sheds new light on the life and times of Theodore Roosevelt, drawing on a remarkable set of oral histories gathered in the 1950s from those who knew him. Remembering Theodore Roosevelt presents fourteen intimate interviews with Roosevelt’s friends, family, and contemporaries. Never before published, the transcripts reveal colorful details about the infamous Rough Riders, the political scene in New York City, the lives of his extended family, including the Hyde Park Roosevelts Franklin and Eleanor, and how the former president inspired successive generations. The book benefits from the author’s discerning annotations and commentary that provide the reader with lesser-known facts and a full appreciation of the oral history project.
This book provides a study of the American anti-imperialist movement during its most active years of opposition to US foreign policy, from 1898 to 1909. It re-evaluates the movement's motives and operations throughout these years by evaluating the way in which Americans conceived the idea of 'liberty.
A century after his death, Theodore Roosevelt remains one of the most recognizable figures in U.S. history, with depictions of the president ranging from the brave commander of the Rough Riders to a trailblazing progressive politician and early environmentalist to little more than a caricature of grinning teeth hiding behind a mustache and pince-nez. Theodore Roosevelt’s Ghost follows the continuing shifts and changes in this president’s reputation since his unexpected passing in 1919. In the most comprehensive examination of Roosevelt’s legacy, Michael Patrick Cullinane explores the frequent refashioning of this American icon in popular memory. The immediate aftermath of Roosevelt’s death created a groundswell of mourning and goodwill that ensured his place among the great Americans of his generation, a stature bolstered by the charitable and political work of his surviving family. When Franklin Roosevelt ascended to the presidency, he worked to situate himself as the natural heir of Theodore Roosevelt, reshaping his distant cousin’s legacy to reflect New Deal values of progressivism, intervention, and patriotism. Others retroactively adapted Roosevelt’s actions and political record to fit the discourse of social movements from anticommunism to civil rights, with varying degrees of success. Richard Nixon’s frequent invocation led to a decline in Roosevelt’s popularity and a corresponding revival effort by scholars endeavoring to give an accurate, nuanced picture of the 26th president. This wide-ranging study reveals how successive generations shaped the public memory of Roosevelt through their depictions of him in memorials, political invocations, art, architecture, historical scholarship, literature, and popular culture. Cullinane emphasizes the historical contexts of public memory, exploring the means by which different communities worked to construct specific representations of Roosevelt, often adapting his legacy to suit the changing needs of the present. Theodore Roosevelt’s Ghost provides a compelling perspective on the last century of U.S. history as seen through the myriad interpretations of one of its most famous and indefatigable icons.
Is there a book of the Bible more often discussed and yet less understood than the Book of Revelation? The "seven seals." The "dragon." The "beast." The "sea of glass." The fantastic imagery found in the Book of Revelation has long captivated Christians but remains mysterious to many. In the midst of so much discussion about the end times, what does Revelation teach us about living in the present moment, with our eyes focused on the heavenly Jerusalem? Michael Barber's Coming Soon explores these questions by taking a detailed look at Revelation and its rich tapestry of prophecy, history, and biblical allusion. Barber explores the profound link between the Mass celebrated here on earth and the eternal reality of heaven, demonstrating that the Apocalypse reveals truth that has practical implications for today and points to a firm hope in tomorrow. Coming Soon is a verse-by-verse commentary on the Book of Revelation using the Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition of the Bible. Barber provides a Catholic interpretation, which sees the liturgical background of this book of Scripture-a perspective missing in many Protestant commentaries.
With the pervasiveness of the information revolution, the preservation of intellectual property rights through patents, copyrights, and trademarks has become far more difficult. In this book, Michael Ryan explains the issues, politics, and diplomacy of balancing intellectual property rights with the public's right of access.
Christians know the Psalms, sing the Psalms, and pray the Psalms more than any other book of the Bible. Yet, even as believers have grown more devoted to individual psalms, they have lost the big picture-the single sense that unites all the psalms as one coherent book. Michael Barber is at the forefront of an emerging movement in biblical theology. With this book, he is recovering the narrative plot that was the common heritage of Jews and Christians in the ancient world. Barber shows how King David serves as an example for the chosen people as they struggled in exile. As David was rescued by the Lord, so would Israel be restored as a kingdom for all ages. This is the story of Christ as well, whom Barber reveals as the "new David." And, in Christ, it is the story of every Christian. The Psalms bring us-in our reading and in our prayer-from suffering and pleading to glory, triumph, and praise. Barber's analysis follows upon an extensive introduction by Scott Hahn, Ph.D., detailing the historical, cultural, and theological background of the Psalter.
Spoof is the story of the lives of two men who are identical twins. Terry Lickliter and his brother Tom were minor characters in Illusive Innocence, my first novel. In Spoof both men are in their late forty's. Terry worked in Silicon Valley until the mid-nineties and made a fortune when his company sold out to a high tech giant. He moved to Grand Haven Michigan and built two large houses on Lake Michigan, a Victorian with an attached lighthouse and a Tudor. Tom Lickliter resided in Florida and worked as an Electrician and moved back to Michigan to join his brother. The two brothers had been living twenty-eight hundred miles apart. Terry and his wife Kristine (a true San Franciscan) are rich and Tom and his wife Monique (a southern belle born in Savannah, Georgia) are middle class citizens. The gift of a quarter-million dollar Tudor on lake Michigan is a lot for Tom and his wife Monique to accept. Tom is sterile but Terry fathers his children. Together the men open a small business but work to create a very successful international business. Sudden wealth changes their lives. From Sailing Lake Michigan and the Pacific to the power of a corporate boardroom lives become entrapped into secrets and hysteria. Spoof is an adventurous story of couples, friends and business associates but also describes the secretive loving relationships of a charismatic man.
Winner • National Council of Teachers of English - George Orwell Award for Distinguished Contribution to Honesty and Clarity in Public Language The “philosopher of truth” (Jill Lepore, The New Yorker) returns with a clear-eyed and timely critique of our culture’s narcissistic obsession with thinking that “we” know and “they” don’t. Taking stock of our fragmented political landscape, Michael Patrick Lynch delivers a trenchant philosophical take on digital culture and its tendency to make us into dogmatic know-it-alls. The internet—where most shared news stories are not even read by the person posting them—has contributed to the rampant spread of “intellectual arrogance.” In this culture, we have come to think that we have nothing to learn from one another; we are rewarded for emotional outrage over reflective thought; and we glorify a defensive rejection of those different from us. Interweaving the works of classic philosophers such as Hannah Arendt and Bertrand Russell and imposing them on a cybernetic future they could not have possibly even imagined, Lynch delves deeply into three core ideas that explain how we’ve gotten to the way we are: • our natural tendency to be overconfident in our knowledge; • the tribal politics that feed off our tendency; • and the way the outrage factory of social media spreads those politics of arrogance and blind conviction. In addition to identifying an ascendant “know-it-all-ism” in our culture, Lynch offers practical solutions for how we might start reversing this dangerous trend—from rejecting the banality of emoticons that rarely reveal insight to embracing the tenets of Socrates, who exemplified the humility of admitting how little we often know about the world, to the importance of dialogue if we want to know more. With bracing and deeply original analysis, Lynch holds a mirror up to American culture to reveal that the sources of our fragmentation start with our attitudes toward truth. Ultimately, Know-It-All Society makes a powerful new argument for the indispensable value of truth and humility in democracy.
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