Caro Llewellyn?s family was unconventional from the beginning. Her parents met in hospital, where her father, confined to an iron lung after contracting polio, seduced his nurse and married her. Growing up, Caro watched her father embrace life, undaunted and ingenious in the face of his severe paralysis. From him, she learned courage; from her writer mother independence. She fell in love with literature and writers; when she was asked by Salman Rushdie to direct a festival in New York, she felt she?d been offered the life of her dreams. Until one day, jogging through Central Park, she lost all feeling in her legs. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Caro?s world shattered. She knew all too well what life in a wheelchair meant, and, faced with her own mortality, that she must look back at her father?s exemplary fortitude and grace to find a way forward. An at times emotionally brutal memoir of family, vulnerability and purpose, Diving into Glass is a smart, often funny portrait of the realities of disability and an intimate account of three lives filled with astounding vigour and audacity.
New Yorks Finger Lakes is home to the countrys fastest-growing wine region, and each year millions of tourists spill into the tasting rooms of its wineries. Filled with fun and likable characters, Summer in a Glass brings this burgeoning area to life and captures its exciting diversity--from its immigrant German winemakers to its young, technically trained connoisseurs, from classic Rieslings to up-and-coming Cabernet Francs.
A triumphant memoir by the former editor-in-chief of French Elle that reveals an indomitable spirit and celebrates the liberating power of consciousness. In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor-in-chief of French Elle, the father of two young children, a 44-year-old man known and loved for his wit, his style, and his impassioned approach to life. By the end of the year he was also the victim of a rare kind of stroke to the brainstem. After 20 days in a coma, Bauby awoke into a body which had all but stopped working: only his left eye functioned, allowing him to see and, by blinking it, to make clear that his mind was unimpaired. Almost miraculously, he was soon able to express himself in the richest detail: dictating a word at a time, blinking to select each letter as the alphabet was recited to him slowly, over and over again. In the same way, he was able eventually to compose this extraordinary book. By turns wistful, mischievous, angry, and witty, Bauby bears witness to his determination to live as fully in his mind as he had been able to do in his body. He explains the joy, and deep sadness, of seeing his children and of hearing his aged father's voice on the phone. In magical sequences, he imagines traveling to other places and times and of lying next to the woman he loves. Fed only intravenously, he imagines preparing and tasting the full flavor of delectable dishes. Again and again he returns to an "inexhaustible reservoir of sensations," keeping in touch with himself and the life around him. Jean-Dominique Bauby died two days after the French publication of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. This book is a lasting testament to his life.
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author of Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility, an exhilarating novel set at the glittering intersection of two seemingly disparate events—the exposure of a massive criminal enterprise and the mysterious disappearance of a woman from a ship at sea. “The perfect novel ... Freshly mysterious.” —The Washington Post Vincent is a bartender at the Hotel Caiette, a five-star lodging on the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island. On the night she meets Jonathan Alkaitis, a hooded figure scrawls a message on the lobby's glass wall: Why don’t you swallow broken glass. High above Manhattan, a greater crime is committed: Alkaitis's billion-dollar business is really nothing more than a game of smoke and mirrors. When his scheme collapses, it obliterates countless fortunes and devastates lives. Vincent, who had been posing as Jonathan’s wife, walks away into the night. Years later, a victim of the fraud is hired to investigate a strange occurrence: a woman has seemingly vanished from the deck of a container ship between ports of call. In this captivating story of crisis and survival, Emily St. John Mandel takes readers through often hidden landscapes: campgrounds for the near-homeless, underground electronica clubs, service in luxury hotels, and life in a federal prison. Rife with unexpected beauty, The Glass Hotel is a captivating portrait of greed and guilt, love and delusion, ghosts and unintended consequences, and the infinite ways we search for meaning in our lives. Look for Emily St. John Mandel’s bestselling new novel, Sea of Tranquility!
In her seventh volume of poetry, Adrienne Rich searches to reclaim—to discover—what has been forgotten, lost, or unexplored. "I came to explore the wreck. / The words are purposes. / The words are maps. / I came to see the damage that was done / and the treasures that prevail." These provocative poems move with the power of Rich's distinctive voice.
The sweetest revenge . . . He’s the Swift brother who got left behind, the son abandoned by his father. Now Kyle Swift is a man determined to destroy the whitewater rafting empire built by the half-brothers he never knew, the Swift sons who got the life—and the love—he was denied. Seducing Fisher Jones isn’t part of his revenge, but sharing a bed with the beautiful whitewater instructor is the one bright spot in his otherwise dark plan. That is, if he manages not to fall for the sad-eyed beauty . . . Fearless when it comes to facing even the most daunting river rapids, Fisher never takes chances with her love life—until the night she gets swept away by a sexy stranger. But when her one-night stand unexpectedly shows up in her whitewater class, Fisher faces her greatest challenge yet: keeping her heart safe from a man determined to put an end to the family business—and the life—she holds dear. . . .
A triumphant tale of a young woman and her difficult childhood, The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience, redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and wonderfully vibrant. Jeannette Walls was the second of four children raised by anti-institutional parents in a household of extremes.
Twenty-one Australian writers celebrate their life's one true love Caro Llewellyn put life's hardest question to twenty-one writers: to write of their one true love, to identify and celebrate the single most-loved thing in their lives. Spanning fiction and non-fiction, My One True Love explores the essential loves of twenty-one well-known Australians. Each story is passionate, surprising - and honest. Defining the one true love in our life is a task not many of us would want to set ourselves. In fact, for some writers Caro approached, going public about their one true love was not an inviting prospect. Isolating that one thing that makes life meaningful and joyous is difficult because our lives are full of so many - family, children, lovers, careers, hobbies, place, ideas and beliefs. We must go through a process of elimination until the very core of our love and its meaning is exposed - and the process may often be as surprising as our ultimate choice. Once understood though, the recognition and celebration of that one true love will take your breath away. In considering what we love, hate, anger and hurt falls away; and we realise the futility of endeavors that cloud our lives. The discovery our one true love will, in fact, help us to discover our true spirit - and perhaps help us to reach a state of grace. Contributors to My One True Love are: Paul Cox Amy Witting Garry Discher Jose Borghino Dorothy Porter Emma Tom Philip Cox Robert Drewe Margaret Scott Elizabeth Jolley Don Dunstan Nikki Gemmel Gretel Killeen Mike Coward Raimondo Cortes Adib Khan Barry Divola Rosie Scott Robert Dessiax Meme MacDonald Nicholas Jose
Street Cop is the exciting story of one man's career in Law Enforcement. David Spell joined the Gwinnett County Police Department in 1984 at the tender age of twenty-one. This fast moving narrative takes the reader inside the squad car with David as he patrols some of the most dangerous areas and neighborhoods in Metro Atlanta. If you like the TV show Cops, you will love Street Cop. Get ready for your tour of duty. Strap into the passenger seat of David's squad car and enjoy the car chases, foot chases, fights, murder investigations, and other assorted crazy calls. You are about to see first-hand what it is really like on America's mean streets!
Step into the mesmerizing world of molten beauty with "Beyond Vessels," a captivating eBook that takes you on a transformative journey through the art and mastery of glass sculpting. Unveil the secrets of this luminescent craft, exploring the full spectrum from its historical roots to the dynamic contemporary scene that continues to enchant collectors and art lovers alike. Discover the powerful emotional resonance of glass sculptures, an art form where light plays with transparency, and silhouettes tell stories. Learn how to shape not just glass, but the very space around it, crafting pieces that hold time still and spark imagination. Your vision will become clear as you delve into the magical process of giving life to fluid forms, where every curve and color holds meaning. Equip yourself with the know-how to navigate the intricate world of glass artistry. Understand the essential tools that make the impossible possible – from the furnace to the marver. "Beyond Vessels" guides you through setting up a safe, functional workspace enabling you to translate your creative inklings into tangible art. Handling glass is a conversation with a volatile yet versatile medium, and this eBook will be your lexicon. Learn the types of glass best suited for sculpting and how they react under the spell of high heat, blending color and texture into expressions of pure artistry. Venture further as you master the awe-inspiring dance of glass blowing. Whether you're taking your first breath into a blowpipe or seeking to refine your skills with advanced techniques, "Beyond Vessels" will elevate your craft. From molten gathering to sculptural revelations, each chapter builds on your knowledge, growing your confidence and competence. From mold-making to kiln-casting, flameworking to cold working, each chapter is a step deeper into the alchemy of glass. Uncover the nuances of color in your work and overcome the inevitable challenges that come with this temperamental medium. Push the boundaries of collaboration, combining minds and materials to create pieces with a life of their own. With practical insight, "Beyond Vessels" will not just guide you in crafting stunning sculptures but also in presenting, marketing, and carving out a distinct presence in the glass art landscape. Embrace your passion, turn challenges into stepping stones, and watch as your art transforms before your eyes. "Beyond Vessels" is more than an eBook; it's a portal to a future where your hands shape light, and your creativity knows no bounds. Join the legion of glass artisans reinventing the ancient craft for an ever-appreciative modern audience. Your journey begins here.
