Written with wit and exuberance by longtime friends and accomplished historians Jane Kamensky and Jill Lepore, Blindspot weaves together invention with actual historical documents in an affectionate send-up of the best of eighteenth-century fiction, from epistolary novels like Richardson’s Clarissa to Sterne’s picaresque Tristram Shandy. Prodigiously learned, beautifully crafted, and lush with the bawdy, romping sensibility of the age, Blindspot celebrates the art of the Enlightenment and the passion of the American Revolution by telling stories we know and those we don’t, stories of the everyday lives of ordinary people caught up in an extraordinary time.
Two of America's best-loved inspirational speakers share the very best of their collected stories and favorite tales that have touched the hearts of people everywhere. Canfield and Hansen bring you wit and wisdom, hope and empowerment to buoy you up through life's dark moments.
It's like homemade chicken soup that warms the chill and heals the ill. This collection of 101 stories is based on the belief that true testimonies of goodness and loving transformations can nourish us to the bone and heal the cynicism in our hearts. Indeed, most every story seeps in deeply. It's hard not to shed a tear of gratitude, feeling thrilled to have been touched and soothed so easily. Some of the authors are famous, such as Dan Millman, who writes an exquisite vignette on "Courage," and Gloria Steinem, who writes of "The Royal Knights of Harlem." Many, however, have a short, simple story to tell about an event, a person, an everyday miracle that exemplifies the best of the human spirit.
Answering the call for values education, this collection of tales demonstrates how people who are faithful, generous, loving, courageous, smart, honest, and compassionate prevail in solving problems and overcoming obstacles in life. Some of the stories are author originals, others are adaptations of traditional folktales from around the world. Stories that can be read or told to children of various ages are featured in the first part of the book. The remainder of the text is designed to help children become storytellers and includes stories to act out, participatory stories, and puppet tales. Age level and the specific values taught are cited for each of the more than 30 stories. For example, the story "Hideehohee" teaches courage; "The Clever Maid" teaches responsibility; "Bunny Pink" offers a lesson in self-esteem; and "The Dishonest Innkeeper" gives a message about honesty. All Levels.
Nominated in 1997 for a Julia Child Award, Cupboard Love is back, bigger and better than ever. In this updated and expanded edition, Mark Morton lays out a sumptuous feast of more than a thousand culinary word-histories. From everyday foods to exotic dishes, from the herbs and spices of medieval England to the cooking implements of the modern kitchen, Cupboard Love explores the fascinating stories behind familiar and not-so-familiar gastronomic terms.
Stories enjoyed included the ironic "International Women's Day" by Salwa Bakr, in which a male teacher spoke to elementary schoolchildren about the need to appreciate women, but had trouble following his own advice, while the headmistress stood by listening idly and considering her own problems. "The Closely Guarded Secret" by Sahar al-Muji, in which a woman guarded carefully an unnamed secret all her life from parents and husband, preserving a sense of self. And "A Successful Woman" by Suhayr al-Qalamawi, in which a woman from the countryside sought love and success in Cairo, gaining and losing something in the process.
