NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A collection of stories by one of America’s most beloved and admired short-story writers that explores the passage of time and summons up its inevitable sorrows and hilarious pitfalls to reveal an exquisite, singular wisdom. • “Uncanny.... Moving.... A powerful collection.” —The Washington Post Here are people beset, burdened, buoyed; protected by raising teenage children; dating after divorce; facing the serious illness of a longtime friend; setting forth on a romantic assignation abroad, having it interrupted mid-trip, and coming to understand the larger ramifications and the impossibility of the connection ... stories that show people coping with large dislocation in their lives, with risking a new path to answer the desire to be in relation—to someone….
From a world-renowned painter, an exploration of creativity’s quintessential—and often overlooked—role in the spiritual life “Makoto Fujimura’s art and writings have been a true inspiration to me. In this luminous book, he addresses the question of art and faith and their reconciliation with a quiet and moving eloquence.”—Martin Scorsese “[An] elegant treatise . . . Fujimura’s sensitive, evocative theology will appeal to believers interested in the role religion can play in the creation of art.”—Publishers Weekly Conceived over thirty years of painting and creating in his studio, this book is Makoto Fujimura’s broad and deep exploration of creativity and the spiritual aspects of “making.” What he does in the studio is theological work as much as it is aesthetic work. In between pouring precious, pulverized minerals onto handmade paper to create the prismatic, refractive surfaces of his art, he comes into the quiet space in the studio, in a discipline of awareness, waiting, prayer, and praise. Ranging from the Bible to T. S. Eliot, and from Mark Rothko to Japanese Kintsugi technique, he shows how unless we are making something, we cannot know the depth of God’s being and God’s grace permeating our lives. This poignant and beautiful book offers the perspective of, in Christian Wiman’s words, “an accidental theologian,” one who comes to spiritual questions always through the prism of art.
“An intoxicating blend of music, love, and family from one of the essential writers of the internet generation” (Stephanie Danler). Have you ever wondered what your mother was like before she became your mother, and what she gave up in order to have you? It’s the early days of the new millennium, and Laura has arrived in New York City’s East Village in the hopes of recording her first album. A songwriter with a one-of-a-kind talent, she’s just beginning to book gigs with her beautiful best friend when she falls hard for a troubled but magnetic musician whose star is on the rise. Their time together is stormy and short-lived—but will reverberate for the rest of Laura’s life. Fifteen years later, Laura’s teenage daughter, Marie, is asking questions about her father, questions that Laura does not want to answer. Laura has built a stable life in Brooklyn that bears little resemblance to the one she envisioned when she left Ohio all those years ago, and she’s taken pains to close the door on what was and what might have been. But neither her best friend, now a famous musician who relies on Laura’s songwriting skills, nor her depressed and searching daughter will let her give up on her dreams. “A zippy and profound story of love, loss, heredity, and parenthood (Emma Straub), Perfect Tunes explores the fault lines in our most important relationships, and asks whether dreams deferred can ever be reclaimed. It is a delightful and poignant tale of music and motherhood, ambition and compromise—of life, in all its dissonance and harmony.
My life has been a series of broken promises and shattered hopes. At fifteen, I've been through more than most people could handle—abuse, neglect, and the haunting memory of my father's fentanyl overdose. Every place I've called home has been just another lie, another echo of despair. Now I'm at Bright Future Group Home, and I can't help but be cynical. Safety and belonging? Sure. But then I meet Gabriel Lopez. He's kind, patient, and he sees something in me that I thought was long gone. Falling for him is unexpected, but it's the first time I've felt something real, something worth holding onto. But this place has its own shadows. Derrick Mason, another resident, has dark secrets that threaten to drag me back into the abyss. School is a daily battle, and the group home is a minefield. The art room becomes my sanctuary, where I can escape into my drawings, and the garden offers a brief respite from the chaos. My struggles are more than just about finding a place to belong. I grapple with the abuse I've suffered, the cultural roots I feel detached from, and the fact that I'm gay in a world that hasn't been kind. The echoes of my past are always there, reminding me of every broken promise and every ounce of pain. "Echoes" is my story—a fight against the despair that clings to me, a journey to find trust and love in the midst of chaos. Gabriel is my anchor, but Derrick's secrets and my own fears are powerful forces. Can I overcome the shadows of my past and find a future worth fighting for? Join me on this raw and powerful journey through the echoes of my life, where love, pain, and the search for belonging intertwine. This isn't just about surviving—it's about finding the strength to truly live.
It doesn’t come as much of a surprise to Alex Ryan when she finds herself falling head over heels for Connie O’Reilly. How could she not? There isn’t a person alive who wouldn’t be drawn to the irresistibly beautiful and charming Connie. It seems impossible she could reciprocate -- not when Alex is so awkward, so timid, so very much a girl -- until what starts as a sweet friendship blossoms into something so much more than Alex could have dreamed of. Alex knows what they have is a momentary thing, not enough to be called forever. Connie’s the most popular girl in the school, wealthy and admired. She’s going to go to Trinity, maybe marry a lawyer. She’s going to have everything Alex could never give her. She isn’t stupid, after all. Status and reputation might mean nothing to Alex, but to Connie they are everything. The only out-lesbian they know is ridiculed by everyone she meets, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before Connie lets that be her. But when rumours spark and new faces enter the picture, they’re both set to discover that, while it may be easy to walk away, it’s a lot harder to move on.
From a New York Times–bestselling author: An account of the murder case and coerced confession that led to the birth of Miranda rights—“Unfailingly riveting” (Vincent Bugliosi). It was a muggy summer day in 1963 when Janice Wylie and Emily Hoffert were murdered in their apartment on New York City’s Upper East Side. Months passed before police arrested George Whitmore Jr., and he confessed to the crime. But his incarceration would entail a host of shocking law enforcement missteps and cover-ups. In this insider account, attorney and New York Times–bestselling author Robert K. Tanenbaum delivers a page-turning, real-life thriller about this historic case—from the brutal crime to the wrenching conviction, which forever reformed the American justice system. Echoes of My Soul chronicles both the infamous “Career Girls Murders” and the aftermath that ultimately led to the Supreme Court’s Miranda decision, as well as the abolition of the death penalty in New York State. This is “the most powerful story of American justice in our time”—a true account of two brutal murders, the innocent man convicted of the crime, and the young DA who refused to give up until justice was served (Linda Fairstein). “Thrilling and insightful.” —Publishers Weekly “Many of the elements of the narrative are inherently fascinating: the circumstances of the crimes in Manhattan and Brooklyn, the police investigations, the prosecutors’ deliberations and the courtroom dramatics . . . A nonfiction murder mystery, an intriguing saga.” —Kirkus Reviews
A collection of the author's greatest poetry--from the wistful to the unsettling, the wonders of nature to the foibles of human nature--is an ideal introduction for first-time readers. Original.
From their gigs in tiny church halls to multimillion-selling albums--"The Dark Side" "of the Moon," "Wish You Were Here," and the rock opera "The Wall"--and elaborate stadium shows, this tome celebrates legendary rock band Pink Floyd. Lavishly illustrated with previously unpublished photographs and rare graphic memorabilia, including posters, advertisements, handbills, and tickets from every era of the band's remarkable history, this survey provides a comprehensive overview of the group, its members, and the times. In addition to a biographical account of the band's collective and individual careers--from their pre-Floyd times in the early 1960s to the present day and their music's evolution from psychedelic and space rock to progressive rock genres--this definitive reference presents a meticulously researched chronological listing of every Pink Floyd and solo concert with set lists, radio and television appearances, and a UK and U.S. discography.
If not you, who? If not now, when? This was the challenge answered by Stephen Foreman and his wife, Emily, when they traded in their American white picket fence for a giant, dusty sandbox as missionaries in the deserts of North Africa. Stephen had given Emily a well-read copy of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs on their first date, a telling foreshadowing of the ultimate cost he would pay when, at 39, he was shot and killed by al-Qaeda operatives. His life and death planted a seed of boldness and inspiration in the hearts of local believers. This seed would grow and multiply efforts to help reach the very goal that Stephen was willing to give his life for—glorifying God and seeing his Kingdom established among the nations. In this memoir, Emily, left with four kids and an undying calling to reach the Muslim world, recounts their heartrending yet uplifting story of sacrifice and love for a people held captive by the ultimate Enemy. Stephen did not die in vain. This promise echoes through the book’s pages and far beyond, in the minds and lives of countless individuals touched by a man who daily put his life in the hands of God. Because of security issues and the need to protect other workers and local believers in the country, the book employs pseudonyms for all major characters, including the authors.
