The Gems of Inverness
The Gems of Inverness

Author: Len Gulino

Publisher:

Published: 2019-11

Total Pages: 376

ISBN-13: 9780578592091

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Len's journey evolves from ambiguity, confusion, and despair imposed on him by family traditions, ethnicity, and Catholicism, to an eventual clarity evoked by his care, with his wife, Barbara, of their sons, Benjamin and Gregory, both of whom were unexpectedly born with profound developmental disabilities.

The Outlandish Companion (Revised and Updated)
The Outlandish Companion (Revised and Updated)

Author: Diana Gabaldon

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Published: 2015-03-31

Total Pages: 608

ISBN-13: 1101887281

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Perfect for readers of the bestselling Outlander novels—and don’t miss The Outlandish Companion Volume Two! #1 New York Times bestselling author Diana Gabaldon has captivated millions of readers with her critically acclaimed Outlander novels, the inspiration for the Starz original series. From the moment Claire Randall stepped through a standing stone circle and was thrown back in time to the year 1743—and into a world that threatens life, limb, loyalty, heart, soul, and everything else Claire has—readers have been hungry to know everything about this world and its inhabitants, particularly a Scottish soldier named Jamie Fraser. In this beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish, Gabaldon covers the first four novels of the main series, including: • full synopses of Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn • a complete listing of the characters (fictional and historical) in the first four novels in the series, as well as family trees and genealogical notes • a comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage • The Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel, explained • frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers • an annotated bibliography • essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, creating characters, and more • professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire • the making of the TV series: how we got there from here, and what happened next (including “My Brief Career as a TV Actor”) • behind-the-scenes photos from the Outlander TV series set For anyone who wants to spend more time with the Outlander characters and the world they inhabit, Diana Gabaldon here opens a door through the standing stones and offers a guided tour of what lies within.

Jewels
Jewels

Author: Victoria Finlay

Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published: 2007-08-14

Total Pages: 506

ISBN-13: 0345466950

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Throughout history, precious stones have inspired passions and poetry, quests and curses, sacred writings and unsacred actions. In this scintillating book, journalist Victoria Finlay embarks on her own globe-circling search for the real stories behind some of the gems we prize most. Blending adventure travel, geology, exciting new research, and her own irresistible charm, Finlay has fashioned a treasure hunt for some of the most valuable, glamorous, and mysterious substances on earth. With the same intense curiosity and narrative flair she displayed in her widely-praised book Color, Finlay journeys from the underground opal churches of outback Australia to the once pearl-rich rivers of Scotland; from the peridot mines on an Apache reservation in Arizona to the remote ruby mines in the mountains of northern Burma. She risks confronting scorpions to crawl through Cleopatra’s long-deserted emerald mines, tries her hand at gem cutting in the dusty Sri Lankan city where Marco Polo bartered for sapphires, and investigates a rumor that fifty years ago most of the world’s amber was mined by prisoners in a Soviet gulag. Jewels is a unique and often exhilarating voyage through history, across cultures, deep into the earth’s mantle, and up to the glittering heights of fame, power, and wealth. From the fabled curse of the Hope Diamond, to the disturbing truths about how pearls are cultured, to the peasants who were once executed for carrying amber to the centuries-old quest by magicians and scientists to make a perfect diamond, Jewels tells dazzling stories with a wonderment and brilliance truly worthy of its subjects.