Eliezer Segal's approach to Jewish history and tradition has often been light-hearted and humorous. Through his web site and newspaper columns, he has reached out to non-specialist audiences with his entertaining style. "In Those Days, At This Time" is a collection of short essays that explore the intricate framework of sacred days and times which make up the Jewish festival calendar. Each piece is devoted to an occasion in the cycle of sacred seasons. Segal investigates the ways festival observances have been shaped over the generations, looking at different interpretations of their rituals, their symbolism, and their adaptation to changing historical circumstances. With such clever titles as "Getting a Handel on Hanukkah" and "The Eggs and the Exodus", these essays bring a touch of whimsy to a complex and deep-rooted religious tradition.
In the days of Matisyahu the Hasmonean... Jewish identity totters on the brink as its faithful sons falter, beguiled by the Greek way of life. Families and friendships splinter, and the widening gulf is soon reddened by the blood of those who refuse to cross it. Then, in the little village of Mod’in, everything changes. From the Gophna forests to the battlefields of Emmaus, the widely acclaimed In Those Days, In This Time crackles with the fierce, agonized passions of those who lost all - and of those who risked all - in the triumphant celebration of light and life we know today as the Chanukah miracle.
The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays. "The elegance of Patchett’s prose is seductive and inviting: with Patchett as a guide, readers will really get to grips with the power of struggles, failures, and triumphs alike." —Publisher's Weekly “Any story that starts will also end.” As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart. At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores “what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self.” When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks’ short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom’s brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both. A literary alchemist, Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape, each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight. Turning her writer’s eye on her own experiences, she transforms the private into the universal, providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew, and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be. From the enchantments of Kate DiCamillo’s children’s books (author of The Beatryce Prophecy) to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz’s Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting, Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most. Infused with the author’s grace, wit, and warmth, the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul, leaving an indelible mark—and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time.
A great read for children and great for reading around campfires! Herein you will find sixteen stories and legends of the Norse and Viking inhabitants of Asgard – Odin, Freya, Thor, Loki, Baldur and many others. These are the legends of the actions and feats of these dwellers before time itself had begun, stories which give the background to the Marvel movies of Thor, including Loki, Heimdall, Sif and others which will give you the reader more understanding about how the legends of Thor and Loki came to be. But do not be put off - these are the contemporary versions of these legends and stories written with young adults in mind, and not the heavy, hard to understand versions which academics would revel in. The volume aptly begins with The beginning of things. Thereafter you will find the stories and legends of How odin lost his eye, Kvasir's blood, The giant builder, The magic apples, Skadi's choice, The dwarf's gifts, Loki's children, The quest of the hammer, The giantess who would not, Thor's visit to the giants, Thor's fishing, Thor's duel, In the giant's house, Balder and the mistletoe and The punishment of loki. They tell of Iduna and her golden apples, Loki’s mischief making, how Thor came by his hammer, why the dwellers of Asgard fought the giants and much, much more. So, after you have downloaded this unique volume, find a comfy chair, sit back with your reader and a steaming hot beverage and be prepared to be entertained for hours. 10% of the profit for the sale of this book will be donated to charities. ========== TAGS: folklore, fairy tales, folklore, myths, legends, children’s stories, children’s stories, bygone era, fairydom, fairy land, classic stories, children’s bedtime stories, fables, cultural, setting, Norse, Viking, Asgard, Scandinavia, Midgard, Odin, Thor, Freya, Loki, Heimdall, Sif, inter-world, giants, beginning of things, How odin lost his eye, Kvasir's blood, giant builder, magic apples, golden apples, Iduna, Skadi's choice, dwarf's gifts, dwarves, Loki's children, quest of the hammer, giantess who would not, Thor's visit to the giants, Thor's fishing, Thor's duel, In the giant's house, Balder, mistletoe, punishment of loki
"This new series is designed with the needs of introductory level students in mind. It will also appeal to general readers who want to be better informed about the latest advances in our understanding of the Bible and of the intellectual, political and religious world in which it was formed." "The authors in this series bring to light the methods and insights of a whole range of disciplines - including archaeology, history, literary criticism and the social sciences - while also introducing fresh insights and approaches arising from their own research."--BOOK JACKET.
Adam lived 930 years! Scriptures prove God's "in the day" (Adam's curse) and God's Creation "days" are equal lengths of time, but only as; "God's Days of Time," not man's!
Winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award An award-winning novel that uses both vast panoramic views and lovingly reconstructed detail to provide an unforgettable picture of nineteenth-century Bengal. The Bengal Renaissance and the 1857 uprising form the backdrop to Those Days, a saga of human frailties and strength. The story revolves around the immensely wealthy Singha and Mukherjee families, and the intimacy that grows between them. Ganganarayan Singha's love for Bindubasini, the widowed daughter of the Mukherjees, flounders on the rocks of orthodoxy even as his zamindar father, Ramkamal, finds happiness in the arms of the courtesan, Kamala Sundari. Bimbabati, Ramkamal's wife, is left to cope with her loneliness. A central theme of the novel is the manner in which the feudal aristocracy, sunk in ritual and pleasure, slowly awakens to its social obligations. Historical personae interact with fictional protagonists to enrich the narrative. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the reformer; Michael Madhusudan Dutt, the poet; the father and son duo of Dwarkanath and Debendranath Tagore; Harish Mukherjee, the journalist; Keshab Chandra Sen, the Brahmo Samaj radical; David Hare and John Bethune, the English educationists—these and a host of others walk the streets of Calcutta again, to bring alive a momentous time.
The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.
