It seems that more than any time in our lives, people all around the world are divided. Society has changed from one of mostly peace and cohesion to one of hatred and suffering. From politics to private lives, depression, anxiety, gender identity, inflation, education, civil rights, reproductive health, addiction, and suicide are relentlessly raging across the globe, forever changing the lives of youth and adults. In this final book of the series, authors come together to help inspire togetherness. Whether trying to unite a personal or business relationship or praying that the entire civilization comes together harmoniously, you will find hope and inspiration in these stories. That's why this book exists.
'A riotous, black-humoured tonic' Independent 'A masterpiece of modern fiction' Sophie Cousens December 2023. The human race has fought a deadly virus and lost. The only things left from the world before are burning cities and rotting corpses. But in London, one woman is still alive. Although she may be completely unprepared for her new existence, as someone who has spent her life trying to fit in, being alone is surprisingly liberating. Determined to discover if she really is the last survivor on earth, she sets off on an extraordinary adventure, with only an abandoned golden retriever named Lucky for company. Maybe she'll find a better life or maybe she'll die along the way. But whatever happens, the end of everything will be her new beginning. 'Fresh, frank, funny' Elizabeth Kay 'Brilliant. Creepy, witty, laugh-out-loud and shudder-inducing' Harriet Walker 'Harrowing, unflinching and uplifting' Jennifer Saint 'Original, brutal, funny and hugely addictive!' Emma Cooper
'Not That I'd Kiss a Girl triumphantly joins the select few New Zealand examples of the autobiographical coming-out genre. Compulsively readable and very much aware of the world, O'Brien's memoir is suspenseful and engaging.' David Herkt, New Zealand Herald. A heartbreaking and hilarious true story of coming out as gay in New Zealand. 'Not That I'd Kiss a Girl' is truly, deeply, hilarious. Lil dismisses the one out girl in her uni hall when she hears 'that she'd bragged about having a double dildo. What an attention-seeker, I'd thought. Even though I couldn't stop wondering what a double dildo was'. The humour is self-deprecating, open, and necessary. There's a lot of pain in this memoir. But even in the darkest places, O'Brien still manages to find the light. 'When it comes to her sexuality, her relationships, and her failings within those, O'Brien is admirably frank. She beautifully renders experiences that many authors would find difficult, if not impossible, to delve into. Even better is her ability to recount what it's like to come to terms, as fully as one can, with one's own place in the world.' Ruby Porter, Academy of New Zealand Literature 'An absorbing, funny, bittersweet read ... it gives straight New Zealanders a keyhole window in the reality of LGBT life in this country.' Feby Idrus, The Otago Daily Times Lil O'Brien accidentally outed herself to her parents at the age of nineteen when they overheard her talking to a friend about liking girls. Half an hour later she found herself on the side of the road, with instructions to come back and pick up her suitcase the next day. What follows is a heartbreaking yet hugely funny story of a young Kiwi girl - the deputy head girl from a posh private school - coming to grips with her sexuality in the face of stark disapproval from her parents. Bit by bit, Lil finds the inner strength to pull herself into an entirely new world. Along the way she's called out for looking too straight in a gay bar, tries to break in to the lesbian in-crowd and figures out how to send her internet lover back to America. She falls in lust over a knotted soccer shoelace, explores how the hell to have sex with a girl and dates four women at once - unsuccessfully. Lil's story is an insightful and honest look at how you figure out whether you're gay, bi or whatever - and deal with what comes next. It's an essential read for anyone who's had to fight for who they are and what they believe in.
Since February 22, 1991, the Virgin Mary has blessed the authors with almost daily intercessions. This edition is the first half of a 1,600-page diary kept by the authors of their supernatural experiences and prophetic messages.
In 'The Girls of Central High on Track and Field. Or, The Champions of the School League' by Gertrude W. Morrison, the reader is immersed in a captivating story of female empowerment and camaraderie set in a high school track and field league. The book, written in a straightforward and engaging style, captures the thrill of competition and the importance of teamwork in overcoming challenges. Morrison's depiction of young women breaking stereotypes and excelling in sports is both inspiring and thought-provoking, making this novel a standout in the literary landscape of the early 20th century. Gertrude W. Morrison, an educator and advocate for women's rights, drew from her own experiences working with young girls in schools to craft a narrative that celebrates the potential and strength of female athletes. Her intimate knowledge of the educational system and passion for equality is evident in every page of this book. 'The Girls of Central High on Track and Field' is a must-read for anyone interested in uplifting stories of female friendship and achievement. Morrison's timeless tale resonates with readers of all ages, reminding us of the enduring power of unity and perseverance.
The Home Girls is a collection of candid, witty stories about rural and suburban life. Set in the mid-twentieth century, these are tales of ordinary people and domestic life. Masters' short stories, distinguished by their acute observation of human behaviour, drew comparison with the finest exponents of the form, such as Chekhov.
Blowup, says Armando Prats, is one of the necessary movies. It is a "living expression of the transition into the new narrative domains" in terms of man's "new vision of himself as a narrative creature in a world whose very essense is cinematic narration." Prats' work on the new humanism inherent in postwar filmmaking is a rewarding work with implications for the fields of esthetics and axiology as well as film criticism. In his analyses of four films by three directors—Fellini's Director's Notebook and The Clowns, Wertmiller's Seven Beauties, Antonioni's Blowup—Prats shows the contrasts between the conventional, word-bound narrative methods of the past and the new narrative in which images are free to display their energies fully, to lead the eye beyond rational concepts of reality and illusion, truth and falsity, good an evil, beauty and ugliness. The autonomous visual event, Prats finds, offers one of the most direct ways of entering into adventures of ideas, particularly in the realm of human values. Movies have revolutionized art as well as thought about art, and inasmuch as art and life converge, they have revolutionized life itself.
