How We Survived Communism & Even Laughed

How We Survived Communism & Even Laughed

Author: Slavenka Drakulic

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 1993-05-12

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 0060975407

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Hailed by feminists as one of the most important contributions to women's studies in the last decade, this gripping, beautifully written account describes the daily struggles of women under the Marxist regime in the former republic of Yugoslavia.


And Still She Laughs

And Still She Laughs

Author: Kate Merrick

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Published: 2017-03-07

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 0718093097

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Kate Merrick examines the Bible’s gritty stories of resilient women as well as her own experience losing a child—a journey followed by more than a million on prayfordaisy.com—to reveal the reality of surprising joy and deep hope even in the midst of heartache. Is it possible live fully—even joyfully—in the middle of overwhelming pain? In the excruciating aftermath of her young daughter’s death from cancer, Kate Merrick struggled to find a way to live. Not just to survive or go through the motions, but to live fully. Faithfully. With real joy amid inevitable tears. To discover how, Kate delved into the stories in the Bible of real women who suffered deeply and emerged somehow joyful. How did Sarah, after twenty-five years of achingly empty arms, learn to laugh without bitterness? How did Bathsheba, defiled by the king who then had her husband killed, come to walk in strength and dignity, to smile without fear of the future? In her encounters with these heroines of the faith, Kate discovered how to have contentment—and even joy—whatever the circumstances. By turns heartbreaking and humorous, And Still She Laughs reveals the secret to finding hope in the midst of devastation. In the end, no matter what hardships we face, we can smile, cry, and come away full—laughing without fear and eagerly looking for what is to come. “And Still She Laughs is the terrifying, tearful, heartbreaking, heart healing and humorous, definitive true story of survival and triumph.” —Kathy Ireland, chair of Kathy Ireland Worldwide “Kate Merrick is one of those women that I always wish I had more time with—her honesty, sincerity, and messy straightforwardness are different, in the very best way. Her book, And Still She Laughs, is the same way. It’s one of those books I will keep coming back to it for truth and inspiration.” —Lindsey Nobles, COO of the IF:Gathering


Ha!

Ha!

Author: Scott Weems

Publisher: Basic Books

Published: 2014-03-04

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 0465080804

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

An entertaining tour of the science of humor and laughter Humor, like pornography, is famously difficult to define. We know it when we see it, but is there a way to figure out what we really find funny -- and why? In this fascinating investigation into the science of humor and laughter, cognitive neuroscientist Scott Weems uncovers what's happening in our heads when we giggle, guffaw, or double over with laughter. While we typically think of humor in terms of jokes or comic timing, in Ha! Weems proposes a provocative new model. Humor arises from inner conflict in the brain, he argues, and is part of a larger desire to comprehend a complex world. Showing that the delight that comes with "getting" a punchline is closely related to the joy that accompanies the insight to solve a difficult problem, Weems explores why surprise is such an important element in humor, why computers are terrible at recognizing what's funny, and why it takes so long for a tragedy to become acceptable comedic fodder. From the role of insult jokes to the benefit of laughing for our immune system, Ha! reveals why humor is so idiosyncratic, and why how-to books alone will never help us become funnier people. Packed with the latest research, illuminating anecdotes, and even a few jokes, Ha! lifts the curtain on this most human of qualities. From the origins of humor in our brains to its life on the standup comedy circuit, this book offers a delightful tour of why humor is so important to our daily lives.


Still Laughing, Still Learning - Still Looking for a Good Title

Still Laughing, Still Learning - Still Looking for a Good Title

Author: Bill Chadwick

Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press

Published: 2019-11

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 9781643438894

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In the style of works by Robert Fulghum and Anne Lamott, the stories in Still Laughing, Still Learning (Still Looking for a Good Title) touch on a plenitude of topics, from the warm fuzzies and terrors of parenting to the joys and conundrums of pastoring. But you don't need to be a church person to appreciate Chadwick's insights into the human condition. You may snort milk out your nose at his take on one heck of a biking mishap and then be deeply moved by his interpretations of emotional hot buttons like anger, inclusivity, and death. And while the last thing the world may need is another book, this collection proves there can never be too many stories. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Bill Chadwick is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Bill's favorite roles in life are husband, dad, preacher, and writer, but he is also a fisherperson, ventriloquist, stand-up comic, biker, and cross-country skier. He and his wife, Kris Jacobson, live in the Minneapolis area.


We Plan, God Laughs

We Plan, God Laughs

Author: Sherre Hirsch

Publisher: Harmony

Published: 2009-06-16

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13: 0385523629

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The old Yiddish proverb, “We plan, God laughs,” expresses a truth everyone can relate to. At every stage of life we make plans, setting out where we want to go and imagining what we will be like when we have “arrived.” But things have a way of turning out not quite as we hoped or expected. In WE PLAN, GOD LAUGHS, Sherre Hirsch argues that too often our plans are limited to ones we think up at bedtime, or are devised by our parents, or by what looks good on a résumé. Addressing serious spiritual issues, Hirsch takes readers through ten basics steps for formulating a plan that reflects who we are now and who we want to be—a plan that is alive, organic, and in sync with God. Hirsch teaches the importance of letting go and recognizing that even the most ordinary life is extraordinary in the eyes of God. She makes no foolish promise that life will turn out as we plan, but shows that with hope, faith, and belief, we can change our lives for the better and make a positive difference in the lives of others.


What Are You Laughing At?

What Are You Laughing At?

Author: Dan O'Shannon

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 2012-07-05

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13: 1441162933

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book presents a comprehensive guide to all the variables that can come into play when we come into contact with comedy.


Laughing Shall I Die

Laughing Shall I Die

Author: Tom Shippey

Publisher: Reaktion Books

Published: 2018-05-15

Total Pages: 544

ISBN-13: 1780239505

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Laughing Shall I Die explores the Viking fascination with scenes of heroic death. The literature of the Vikings is dominated by famous last stands, famous last words, death songs, and defiant gestures, all presented with grim humor. Much of this mindset is markedly alien to modern sentiment, and academics have accordingly shunned it. And yet, it is this same worldview that has always powered the popular public image of the Vikings—with their berserkers, valkyries, and cults of Valhalla and Ragnarok—and has also been surprisingly corroborated by archaeological discoveries such as the Ridgeway massacre site in Dorset. Was it this mindset that powered the sudden eruption of the Vikings onto the European scene? Was it a belief in heroic death that made them so lastingly successful against so many bellicose opponents? Weighing the evidence of sagas and poems against the accounts of the Vikings’ victims, Tom Shippey considers these questions as he plumbs the complexities of Viking psychology. Along the way, he recounts many of the great bravura scenes of Old Norse literature, including the Fall of the House of the Skjoldungs, the clash between the two great longships Ironbeard and Long Serpent, and the death of Thormod the skald. One of the most exciting books on Vikings for a generation, Laughing Shall I Die presents Vikings for what they were: not peaceful explorers and traders, but warriors, marauders, and storytellers.


I Can Still Laugh

I Can Still Laugh

Author: Audette Rackley

Publisher: Booksurge Publishing

Published: 2009-09-22

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781439239391

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Thirteen men and women reveal how individuals with dementia can reframe their thoughts and actions, and successfully disprove the notion that life ends with a diagnosis.


My True Life in Short Stories

My True Life in Short Stories

Author: Mariette Guenette

Publisher: FriesenPress

Published: 2017-12-12

Total Pages: 338

ISBN-13: 1460294963

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

From a very humble beginning filled with hardships, the sixth child in a family of fourteen, I was born on a small impoverished farm on the Gaspé Peninsula, in Quebec, Canada, just a tiny dot on the map as I say, and had a very unusual and fulfilled life. Living in ten major Canadian and us cities, always accidentally, I met unforgettable people such as a Roman Catholic Cardinal, Representatives of Governments in Canada, the Governor of Florida, as well as meeting internationally known singers such as Elvis Presley and Julio Iglesias, a WWII naval officer, hockey players, wrestlers and many more prominent people. I lived through illnesses, three earthquakes, car accidents, robberies at gun point and knife point, the Italian and Cuban exoduses and through the 9/11 collapse of the Twin Towers by the terrorists, in ny. In my youth I even realized my dream of skydiving. I dedicate this book to Dr. Maria Pedro for saving my life in 2013, without whom there would not be a book to leave as my legacy to future generations, and to my dear sister, Françoise, who is always there for me.


Please Stop Laughing at Me

Please Stop Laughing at Me

Author: Jodee Blanco

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2022-04-19

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 1507217498

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"In this timely update of the seminal classic, author and activist Jodee Blanco reveals how she simply set out to share her story-and ended up igniting a grassroots movement in the nation's schools. The first survivor of school bullying to look back on those experiences as an adult, Jodee brings you up to speed on her life and work since the book's initial release with a new chapter, all-new Letter to My Readers, and Reader's Guide. She also offers the latest information on digital and cyberbullying, the Adult Survivor of Peer Abuse, her in-school antibullying program, INJJA (It's NOT Just Joking Around!), and provides discussion questions for schools. While other children were daydreaming about dances, first kisses, and college, Jodee Blanco was trying to figure out how to go from homeroom to study hall without being taunted or spit upon as she walked through the halls. This powerful, unforgettable memoir chronicles how one child was shunned-and even physically abused-by her classmates from elementary school through high school. It is an unflinching look at what it means to be the outcast, how even the most loving parents can get it all wrong, why schools are often unable to prevent disaster, and how bullying has been misunderstood and mishandled by the mental health community"--