During World War II and the last days of British occupation in India, fifteen-year-old Vidya dreams of attending college. But when her forward-thinking father is beaten senseless by the British police, she is forced to live with her grandfather’s large traditional family, where the women live apart from the men and are meant to be married off as soon as possible. Vidya’s only refuge becomes her grandfather’s upstairs library, which is forbidden to women. There she meets Raman, a young man also living in the house who relishes her intellectual curiosity. But when Vidya’s brother makes a choice the family cannot condone, and when Raman seems to want more than friendship, Vidkya must question all she has believed in. Padma Venkatraman’s debut novel poignantly shows a girl struggling to find her place in a mixedup world. Climbing the Stairs is a powerful story about love and loss set against a fascinating historical backdrop. Read Padma Venkatraman's posts on the Penguin Blog.
Frieda and her five brothers (each of whom had different fathers) grew up within the inner cities of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvanian. Thier wayward mother had an admitted "drinking problem," and spent most of her days in liquor bars. This neglect often left the five siblings to fend for themselves amongst often harsh and unforgiving elements of their city's urban streets. At age seven, as Frieda walked home one late-Spring afternoon, she felt the presence of God, forewarning her of difficult trails ahead. This presence encouraged the child to persevere, despite pending obstacles. Soon, Frieda's faith was tested, as the world around her turned into a series of relentless nightmares ... most of which occurred within the families. A disturbling, though ultimately inspiring, true life account of a young girl's struggle to maintain faith, overcome abuse, sexual assault and the host of demons these crimes introduced. Faith that a better life is possible, if she could escape her dysfunctional environment, was all she had.
Do you ride the escalator-or take the stairs? No matter how you define success, it always requires one thing: self-discipline. But as popular speaker and strategist Rory Vaden explains, we live in an "escalator world"-one that's filled with shortcuts, quick fixes, and distractions that make it all too easy to slide into procrastination, compromise, and mediocrity. What seems like an easier path is really much harder in the end-and, most important, it won't take you where you want to go. How do successful people stay focused and achieve results? This lively and insightful guide presents a simple program for taking the stairs-that is, for overcoming the temptations of quick fixes and procrastination, conquering creative avoidance, and transcending personal setbacks in order to tackle the work that leads to real success. Whatever your goals are, Rory Vaden's proven approach will get you there-one stair at a time.
A compelling and colourful memoir that takes the reader inside the forgotten world of domestic service. Arriving at the great houses of 1920s London, fifteen-year-old Margaret's life in service was about to begin... As a kitchen maid - the lowest of the low - she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and even bootlaces to be ironed. Work started at 5.30am and went on until after dark. Yet from the gentleman with a penchant for stroking the housemaids' curlers, to the heartbreaking story of Agnes the pregnant under-parlourmaid, fired for being seduced by her mistress' nephew, Margaret's tales of her time in service are told with wit, warmth, and a sharp eye for the prejudices of her situation.
CLICK HERE to download Jake and Cathy Jaramillo's favorite walk from the book, "The Olmstead Vision" (Provide us with a little information and we'll send your download directly to your inbox) * The only guidebook to stairway walks in Seattle * Explore Seattle neighborhoods in a new way with these interesting walks in Seattle * Written for people of all ages who want to get outside, exercise, and explore Often called a “city of neighbor-hoods,” Seattle is shaped by soaring mounds like Queen Anne and Capitol Hill and by indentations such as Ravenna Ravine and Deadhorse Canyon. Weaving together the hills, bluffs, and canyons are stairs -- lots and lots of stairs. In fact, there are over 600 publicly accessible Seattle stairways within the city limits! And to explore Seattle by these stairs opens up stunning views and a whole new, intimate side of the Emerald City. Seattle Stairway Walks: An Up-and-Down Guide to City Neighborhoods is the city's first guidebook to 25 of the best neighborhood walks that feature public Seattle stairways. Each route description includes driving and public transit directions to the starting point, full-color photos, a detailed map, QR codes for saving abbreviated directions on your smart phone, tips on sections that are family-friendly, suggestions for cafes and pubs for that perfect espresso and sandwich en route, fascinating sidebars on Seattle's neighborhood history and community anecdotes, and much, much more.
Revised and Updated in September 2020! The hills of the East Bay contain one of the finest and densest urban hiking environments in the state of California—more than 400 paved pathways and public staircases lattice up and down the slopes of Berkeley and Oakland alone. Rising high above the city centers, with towering views of the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and San Francisco itself, these elegant civic walking trails—many of them shaded in oaks and redwoods, and many unknown even to local residents—present a unique landscape for both the casual walker and dedicated hiker. Charles Fleming, the Southern California author whose bestselling 2010 walking guide Secret Stairs turned the hidden public staircases of Los Angeles into popular hiking trails, now turns his eyes northward. For Secret Stairs: East Bay, Fleming has designed more than 30 individual hiking loops. Linking multiple staircases into one-to two-hour self-guided strolls, these urban treks will delight the tourist, newly arrived Berkeley undergraduate, and veteran Bay Area resident alike. The circular walks, each calibrated by length, difficulty, and duration—and each accompanied by a detailed, easy-to-follow map—are sprinkled with fascinating facts about the historic staircases, the historic homes around them, and the famous Bay Area characters who gave them their names. Walk the walks of Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir! Climb Berkeley’s massive Fred Herbert and Tamalpais Paths, hike Easter Way, and summit Sunset Trail! Mount Oakland’s Oakmore stairs, then tackle the hills of Upper Rockridge and Crocker Highlands via the public staircases. And do it all within easy walking distance from BART or bus stops, free parking, and excellent Bay Area cafés.
Within you is a zone of genius that contains everything you need to live the life you were born to live! Would you like to be living your best life and operate at your highest potential in one or more pivotal areas of your life? Do you consider yourself a High Achiever, or would you like to become one? Seven Steps to Your Best Life gives you the roadmap, tools and strategies to be operating at your absolute best. It is your step by step, paint by the numbers guide for getting the results you want in the shortest time possible. This is the book for anyone who: Is or aspires to be a high achiever Needs new direction in their career Would like to develop the mojo to finally get control of their destiny! Wants to find a stronger spiritual connection and inner peace Needs help fine-tuning their purpose in this stress-filled world Is ready to make important and carefully chosen life changes Wants to master self-discipline Wants to replace fear and anxiety with courage Would like to discover, follow and enhance strong passions in any life area And much more!
An instant New York Times bestseller. Critics agree: Michael Wolff’s Landslide is THE book on Trump. “Landslide . . . is the one to leap upon. Smart, vivid and intrepid . . .” —The New York Times “I inhaled Landslide, gobbled it up.” —Slate “Wow. Just wow . . .” —Evening Standard “Cruel, unforgiving, muckraking, scandalous. I couldn’t stop reading it.”—The Telegraph We all witnessed some of the most shocking and confounding political events of our lifetime: the careening last stage of Donald J. Trump’s reelection campaign, the president’s audacious election challenge, the harrowing mayhem of January 6, the buffoonery of the second impeachment trial. But what was really going on in the inner sanctum of the White House during these calamitous events? What did the president and his dwindling cadre of loyalists actually believe? And what were they planning? Michael Wolff pulled back the curtain on the Trump presidency with his #1 bestselling blockbuster Fire and Fury. Now, in Landslide, he closes the door on the presidency with a final, astonishingly candid account. Wolff embedded himself in the White House in 2017 and gave us a vivid picture of the chaos that had descended on Washington. Almost four years later, Wolff finds the Oval Office even more chaotic and bizarre, a kind of Star Wars bar scene. At all times of the day, Trump, behind the Resolute desk, is surrounded by schemers and unqualified sycophants who spoon-feed him the “alternative facts” he hungers to hear—about COVID-19, Black Lives Matter protests, and, most of all, his chance of winning reelection. Once again, Wolff has gotten top-level access and takes us front row as Trump’s circle of plotters whittles down to the most enabling and the president reaches beyond the bounds of democracy as he entertains the idea of martial law and balks at calling off the insurrectionist mob that threatens the institution of democracy itself. As the Trump presidency’s hold over the country spiraled out of control, an untold and human account of desperation, duplicity, and delusion was unfolding within the West Wing. Landslide is that story as only Michael Wolff can tell it.
