Inspired by the many frustrations of parenthood and the ever-present fear of failure, SHOES ON THE STAIRS centers around a mother's struggle to accept what she has left behind after her death. Unable to find the promised white light after her death, Claire Blackwell, a harried mother of three, is forced to watch her family crumble without her. But when her youngest sees her, Claire believes she's been given a chance to mend the holes she's created. She soon discovers she has no control over the physical world, and her time with her family is running out. But when her son's childhood bully threatens to destroy her delicate family she must find a way to save them before it's too late.
Street style photographer Suzanne Middlemass showcases a variety of shoes and [speaks] with big-name shoe designers about where they get their inspiration, and how they create styles that are as sustainable as possible.
A funny, poignant coming-of-age memoir of love, loss, and the shoes that carry us through. From baby booties to orthopaedic brogues (and all the killer heels in between), shoes mark important rites of passage, reminding us of both the good and bad times- the road not taken, the prince who fled, and the people who've meant the most along the way. A longtime shoe enthusiast, Patricia Morrisroe has a vivid memory of the confirmation wedgies that celebrated her entrance to adulthood; the granny boots that marked her first love; the ostrich flats she wore to a girlfriend's funeral; and the New Balance sneakers she bought her elderly mother who was losing her balance and too proud to use a cane. Weaving tidbits of cultural history into her personal story, Morrisroe gives us a brief survey of shoes through five decades, as well as a witty and compassionate look at the unforgettable men and women who walked beside her. There's the grandfather who gave legendary foot massages after dinner; the Woody Allen-type boyfriend who fell in love with her Annie Hall oxfords; the husband whose vast collection of vintage Puma sneakers threatened to overwhelm their apartment and detail their marriage; and most important, the spirited and invincible mother who admired and sometimes envied her daughter's freedom and opportunities. With Morrisroe's charming sense of humor and irresistible voice, 9� Narrowis an authentic, entertaining, and ultimately poignant tale of an every-woman's life in shoes. Praise for 9� Narrow'9� Narrowis a 10! A girl becomes a woman and shares her memories, her loves, her family, and her shoes. You'll identify with Patricia - laugh with her and at her - page after page.' Ilene Beckerman, author of Love, Loss, and What I Wore'9� Narrow is an utterly charming - I might say fleet-footed - memoir about entering life with big (but narrow!) feet and bigger dreams. Patricia Morrisroe depicts the agonies of growing up as a born sophisticate in a Catholic family and a small town with an enviable lightness of touch - and a comic's sense of timing. It is hard to read this book without laughing - or occasionally grimacing - in recognition at the truth of an observation or situation, leaving one wondering how someone else has figured out exactly how you feel about everything from getting a bad perm to Bergdorf's shoe department.' Daphne Merkin, author of The Fame Lunches'Patricia Morrisroe writes with the sharpness of a stiletto and the wit of a Louboutin.' Patricia Volk author of Shocked My Mother, Schiaparelli, and Me'I love shoes, and this delightful memoir shines a light on all things shoe, as well as all things personal. Patricia Morrisroe's life unfolds through her wedges, ruby shoes, T-strap heels, and Manolo slingbacks. As I read it, all my memories came back in a flood, and yours will too.' Delia Ephron (7� Narrow) author of Sister Mother Husband Dog- (Etc.)
The beloved chapter book by New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith about the love and adventures shared by a Cherokee-Seminole boy and his Grampa now has brand-new illustrations! A perfect pick for new readers. What do Indian shoes look like, anyway? Like beautiful beaded moccasins... or hightops with bright orange shoelaces? Ray Halfmoon prefers hightops, but he gladly trades them for a nice pair of moccasins for his grampa. After all, it's Grampa Halfmoon who's always there to help Ray get in and out of scrapes—like the time they teamed up to pet sit for the whole block during a holiday blizzard! Award-winning author Cynthia Leitich Smith writes with wit and candor about a boy and his grandfather, sharing all their love, joy, and humor. In partnership with We Need Diverse Books
Containing walks and detailed maps from throughout the city, Secret Stairs highlights the charms and quirks of a unique feature of the Los Angeles landscape, and chronicles the geographical, architectural, and historical aspects of the city’s staircases, as well as of the neighborhoods in which the steps are located. From strolling through the classic La Loma neighborhood in Pasadena to walking the Sunset Junction Loop in Silver Lake, to taking the Beachwood Canyon hike through “Hollywoodland” to enjoying the magnificent ocean views from the Castellammare district in Pacific Palisades, Secret Stairs takes you on a tour of the staircases all across the City of Angels. The circular walks, rated for duration and difficulty, deliver tales of historic homes and their fascinating inhabitants, bits of unusual local trivia, and stories of the neighborhoods surrounding the stairs. That’s where William Faulkner was living when he wrote the screenplay for To Have and Have Not; that house was designed by Neutra; over there is a Schindler; that’s where Woody Guthrie lived, where Anais Nin died, and where Thelma Todd was murdered . . . Despite the fact that one of these staircases starred in an Oscar-winning short film—Laurel and Hardy’s The Music Box, from 1932—these civic treasures have been virtually unknown to most of the city’s residents and visitors. Now, Secret Stairs puts these hidden stairways back on the map, while introducing urban hikers to exciting new “trails” all around the city of Los Angeles.
This New York Times bestselling book is filled with hundreds of fun, deceptively simple, budget-friendly ideas for sprucing up your home. With two home renovations under their (tool) belts and millions of hits per month on their blog YoungHouseLove.com, Sherry and John Petersik are home-improvement enthusiasts primed to pass on a slew of projects, tricks, and techniques to do-it-yourselfers of all levels. Packed with 243 tips and ideas—both classic and unexpected—and more than 400 photographs and illustrations, this is a book that readers will return to again and again for the creative projects and easy-to-follow instructions in the relatable voice the Petersiks are known for. Learn to trick out a thrift-store mirror, spice up plain old roller shades, "hack" your Ikea table to create three distinct looks, and so much more.
Ingenious and amusing illustrated inventions from the brilliant mind of Dominic Wilcox 'I love this book. Laugh-out-loud funny. I want a salty thumb lolly now!' Harry Hill As we go about our day-to-day business, we see the same stuff every day. The bath, the fridge, the lamp post, the bicycle, the tree... so far, so humdrum. But not if you are Dominic Wilcox. Dominic sees things a little differently. For him, inside each of these everyday things are hundreds of surprising ideas waiting to be discovered. The Portable Bottom Seat, the Sick Bag Beard, Wrist Nets for the Butterfingered – Dominic's unexpected inventions, conflations and modifications promise to make your life that little bit easier, or at least more amusing. Normal will never seem quite so normal again.
A poor girl, adopted by a rich old woman after the death of her mother, grows up to be vain and spoilt. She buys a pair of red shoes and wears them everywhere, even when she is asked not to. Because of her disobedience, the shoes become cursed and the girl must dance continuously, unable to remove the red shoes.
Portland has 196 public staircases, an irresistible asset to this pedestrian-friendly city. In The Portland Stairs Book, Portland's walking guru Laura Foster has gathered the best and most interesting in a handy pocket-sized guide. From Mount Tabor's epic 282 steps to the glass cupola atop 115 steps in Pioneer Courthouse, The Portland Stairs Book features details on twenty outdoor stairs that have amazing stories and something unique to offer an urban explorer. The stairs include the Willamette River Bridge Stairs, The Westover Terraces Steps, and Rocky Butte's Grand Staircase. The book also features indoor stairs that are perfect for a rainy Portland day and five Stair Trails that lead readers on urban treks that contain hundreds of steps in five different areas of town.
Jessica Harrington grew up not really knowing her biological father. He was something of an enigma, living in a country thousands of miles away. She was very much part of a single-parent family, relying on her mother for everything. That is, until her mother's boyfriend stepped into her life. The Girl in the Pink Shoes is a harrowing and graphic account of a young girl's physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather, already a convicted paedophile. Jessica Harrington thought she would be protected. After all, wasn't that what mums were supposed to do? Jessica's mother betrayed her and looked the other way. She allowed the devil himself into her daughter's bedroom. What followed was years of the most horrific abuse imaginable, brutal rapes, video recordings from hidden cameras, and introductions to other paedophiles. Warned that if she ever breathed a word to anyone, she would be tortured and killed, there was never a safe place to hide from the horrors she faced on a daily basis. Bullied at school, raped and beaten at home, Jessica saw no way out and tried to take her own life. But even then, the abuse and the torment continued for many years. An incredible story from one of life's true survivors that will leave a lasting impression long after the last page has been turned.
