The Pure Lover is David Plante’s elegy to his beloved Nikos Stangos, their forty-year life together, and its tragic end. Written in vivid fragments that, like the pieces of a mosaic, come together into a glimmering whole, it shows us both the wild nature of grief and the intimate conversation that is love.
Purity doesn’t mean playing the game of How Far Is Too Far. A pure life is a full life—one that goes way beyond the ideas of dating, sex, and being a “good girl,” and focuses instead on what it means to be your true, powerful self. Purity can feel like a dirty word sometimes. After all, who wants to be told what not to do, how not to be, and who not to spend time with? Haven’t we proven women are smart, strong, and able to make their own decisions? But the reality is, what we’ve always been taught about Christian purity isn’t 100 percent true. The idea has been twisted over the years into a list of “don’t” rules that have obscured the facts: that purity empowers you to become who you were made to be, and it’s about a lot more than sex and dating. Here’s the real truth: God designed purity as a whole-life experience, where you have the choice to follow your heart and be true to yourself as long as you’re also following his Word. With honest advice, real-life examples, and tools to navigate the temptations and frustrations you face every day (including dealing with those who don’t respect your boundaries), Pure Love, Pure Life meets you where you are—wherever you are—to illustrate why living the pure life isn’t as constricting as it sounds, and how it’s worth the effort. “This nonfiction book is real and honest, and should be required reading for teenage girls and their parents.” — Christian Library Journal Pure Love, Pure Life: looks at the idea of purity from a new angle, focusing on the do’s instead of the don’ts contains stories from real girls who talk about their own purity decisions, and what being pure means to them is for any girl looking to live a happy, healthy life—no matter what they have or haven’t done in the past touches on issues relevant to a #metoo world
This booklet is the result of countless interactions between Jason Evert and teenagers during his seminars on chastity. It is the ideal complement to classes on human sexuality. In an easy to read question and answer format, Pure Love is a great introduction to the topic of chastity. You’ve heard the questions before: Is sex bad?Isn’t everyone else doing it?What’s wrong with pornography?Aren’t I being good as long as I don’t have sex? These questions and more are all answered in Pure Love.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this moving memoir, Danielle Steel tells the story of how she met a dog the size of a mouse with a personality that could light up an entire room. From Minnie’s arrival at home in San Francisco to clothes-shopping jaunts in Paris, her adventures provide the perfect backdrop for a heartfelt look at the magic that dogs bring to our lives, and how they become part of the family, making indelible memories. We meet Steel’s childhood pug, James; and Elmer, the basset hound who was steadfastly at her side in her struggling days as a young writer; Sweet Pea—unveiled in a Tiffany box for a dog-loving husband—and all those lucky dogs who shared a household of nine children, other canines, and one potbellied pig. As she reflects on the beloved pets who have brought joy, and sometimes chaos, to her home through the years, Steel also shares her thoughts on the trials and tribulations of bringing a new dog into a household, the challenges of housebreaking and compatibility, the losses we feel forever. Filled with colorful characters (human and otherwise), delightful photographs, practical wisdom drawn from long experience, and brimming with warmth and insight on every page, Pure Joy is a love letter to this special relationship—and one of the most charming books yet from the incomparable Danielle Steel. Praise for Pure Joy “The mega-selling [Danielle Steel] shares happy memories of her numerous dogs. . . . Steel brings readers into her life, recounting delightful moments with her many dogs, the dogs her children have owned, and her newest friend, Minnie, her tiny Chihuahua. . . . Plainly told with honesty and affection, these stories are an affirmation of the timeless connection between humans and their canine companions.”—Kirkus Reviews “Steel doesn’t just love to write blockbusters; she loves dogs. Here’s her valentine to all the dogs she’s raised (looking to be mostly of the small sort), with lots of black-and-white photos throughout. A heady commercial combo.”—Library Journal
The conservative young man who considers staring at a female a sin didn't expect to fall in love. Her gaze released an arrow that struck his heart, leaving him entranced like a fish drawn to a fisherman's hook. Love is a universal experience that many people encounter. They fall in love, get married, and the story ends after that. However, when obstacles and separation come into play, the anguish intensifies, making the eventual reunion all the more thrilling. Higher suffering and longer desires make the reunion lovelier and sweeter. As neighbours, they longed to marry in the traditional manner once both of their families had given their consent. However, an unexpected event occurred, resulting in years of enduring pain. Rectifying this abrupt error was feasible; however, a misguided choice exacerbated the anguish and intensified the injury. During the rule and eventual defeat of ISIS, Satam and Ahmed, a pair of inseparable companions from Mosul, encountered a multitude of obstacles and showcased extraordinary perseverance. Their tale points to part of the displacement of our Christian community in Mosul by ISIS. "Essam, didn't I warn you not to risk our safety on this desolate path?" Esraa yelled, "What now? We will stay here till we run out of food and water, at which point we will perish. Dr. Essam and his family suffered several misfortunes, including becoming lost in the desert and nearly dying. Many real events have occurred along the meandering paths.
What is needed now is for humanity to agree on the most important topic in human history. We could produce spectacular results if we did so, changing life on Earth for the better - forever. And this is not out of our reach. We could bring an end to anger, violence, disagreements between people and nations, financial hardships, poverty, starvation, and the suffering of millions. We could bring peace, prosperity, security, opportunity, and joy to people around the world. In short, all that humanity has ever hoped for or dreamt of and what we were truly meant to experience could be ours. This could happen virtually overnight. And it could be done with the embracing of a single idea.
In Pure, Linda Kay Klein uses a potent combination of journalism, cultural commentary, and memoir to take us “inside religious purity culture as only one who grew up in it can” (Gloria Steinem) and reveals the devastating effects evangelical Christianity’s views on female sexuality has had on a generation of young women. In the 1990s, a “purity industry” emerged out of the white evangelical Christian culture. Purity rings, purity pledges, and purity balls came with a dangerous message: girls are potential sexual “stumbling blocks” for boys and men, and any expression of a girl’s sexuality could reflect the corruption of her character. This message traumatized many girls—resulting in anxiety, fear, and experiences that mimicked the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder—and trapped them in a cycle of shame. This is the sex education Linda Kay Klein grew up with. Fearing being marked a Jezebel, Klein broke up with her high school boyfriend because she thought God told her to and took pregnancy tests despite being a virgin, terrified that any sexual activity would be punished with an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. When the youth pastor of her church was convicted of sexual enticement of a twelve-year-old girl, Klein began to question purity-based sexual ethics. She contacted young women she knew, asking if they were coping with the same shame-induced issues she was. These intimate conversations developed into a twelve-year quest that took her across the country and into the lives of women raised in similar religious communities—a journey that facilitated her own healing and led her to churches that are seeking a new way to reconcile sexuality and spirituality. Pure is “a revelation... Part memoir and part journalism, Pure is a horrendous, granular, relentless, emotionally true account" (The Cut) of society’s larger subjugation of women and the role the purity industry played in maintaining it. Offering a prevailing message of resounding hope and encouragement, “Pure emboldens us to escape toxic misogyny and experience a fresh breath of freedom” (Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love Warrior and founder of Together Rising).
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this refreshing and inspiring memoir, Lauren Akins, the wife of country music star Thomas Rhett, shows what it’s really like to be “the perfect couple” fans imagine, and reveals what it actually takes to live in love, stay in love, and grow together. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY PARADE When country music star Thomas Rhett won the ACM Award for Single of the Year with “Die a Happy Man,” his wife, Lauren Akins, was overjoyed. Her childhood best friend and now husband was being anointed the hottest new star in country music—for a song he had written about her. He was living his dream. Lauren was elated, but she was also wrestling with some big questions, not the least of which was, How can I live my own life of purpose? Lauren Akins never wanted to be in the spotlight, but as Thomas Rhett made his relationship with Lauren the subject of many of his hit songs, she was tossed into the role of one of America’s sweethearts. Revered by fans for her down-to-earth ease and charm, her commitment to humanitarian work, and the pure love she exudes for her family, Lauren has never shared her side of their story—full as it’s been with deep love, painful loss, tremendous joy, and a struggle to stay grounded in faith along the way—until now. In Live in Love, Lauren shares details about her childhood friendship with Thomas Rhett, explaining how they reconnected as young adults. She offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of being married to her best friend, who just happens to be a music star, and the struggle to find her own footing in the frenzy of her husband’s fame. And in heart-wrenching detail, she opens up about her life-changing experiences doing mission work in Haiti, and then in Uganda, where she met the precious baby who would become their first daughter. From sharing the romance of their handwritten wedding vows to the challenges they faced as they adjusted to the reality of becoming first-time parents, Live in Love takes an intimate look at one couple’s life—and opens a window into all of our journeys on the path to self-discovery. Live in Love is a deeply personal memoir that offers inspiring guidance for anyone looking to keep romance alive, balance children and marriage, express true faith, and live a life of purpose.
“One of my favorite authors.”—Colleen Hoover An insightful, delightful, instant #1 New York Times bestseller from the author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation. Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Oprah Daily ∙ Today ∙ Parade ∙ Marie Claire ∙ Bustle ∙ PopSugar ∙ Katie Couric Media ∙ Book Bub ∙ SheReads ∙ Medium ∙ The Washington Post ∙ and more! One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming... Nora Stephens' life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby. Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute. If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.