In ancient China, a man falls asleep beneath a willow tree and dreams he is a butterfly. Based on the stories of the Chou Dynasty Taoist philosopher, Zhuangzi.
The stories and non-stories in Kristine Ong Muslim's Butterfly Dream avow mutilation as rebirth, ruin as indestructibility, and safety as an illusion. In "Artificial Life," a girl is persistent in her belief that her doll will soon come to life. "The Six Mutations of Jerome" documents the grotesque transformations of an everyman named Jerome, while "The Lonely People" follows a group of individuals fleeing from the accoutrements of the modern world as manifested by carnivorous floors and a marauding giant worm. Part travelogue on the vagaries of human consciousness, Butterfly Dream is a glimpse into a reality marred by causal logic and wakefulness.
The Book of Chuang Tzu draws together the stories, tales, jokes and anecdotes that have gathered around the figure of Chuang Tzu. One of the great founders of Taoism, Chaung Tzu lived in the fourth century BC and is among the most enjoyable and intriguing personalities in the whole of Chinese philosophy.
With The Night Is Still Young, Los Angeles-based, Japanese photographer Tomoaki Hata returns to his roots-the underground club scene of Osaka's gay, nightlife district. Filled with intimate images of the radically-creative drag queens who performed at various venues in the city from the late 1990s through the present, this book is a peek into the underbelly of modern Japan. Hata occupies a much-deserved place in the ranks of the great Japanese photographers-on par with the likes of Daido Moriyama and Nobuyoshi Araki-yet he achieved this rank not by following the example of these greats, but via the presentation of his own unique view of a slice of Japanese culture that otherwise remains largely undocumented. Gay life and culture in Japan remains mostly secretive, and tends to take place within the safe confines of gay bars and gay districts that are many times hidden in plain view within the entertainment districts of major urban centers. A passionate and intimate portrayal of the gender-bending performers as they cavort, both on and off the stage, Hata exposes this elusive subculture for the entire world to see. The results are campy and combustible images of drag performers going full tilt. Glitter, glamour, sequins, and seediness are all on display, up-close and unrestrained. Including an essay on Hata's photographs-and the world they examine-The Night Is Still Young captures and contextualizes drag culture in Japan at the turn of the century, and is the ultimate primary-source document of this otherwise obscure scene.
A triumphant memoir by the former editor-in-chief of French Elle that reveals an indomitable spirit and celebrates the liberating power of consciousness. In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor-in-chief of French Elle, the father of two young children, a 44-year-old man known and loved for his wit, his style, and his impassioned approach to life. By the end of the year he was also the victim of a rare kind of stroke to the brainstem. After 20 days in a coma, Bauby awoke into a body which had all but stopped working: only his left eye functioned, allowing him to see and, by blinking it, to make clear that his mind was unimpaired. Almost miraculously, he was soon able to express himself in the richest detail: dictating a word at a time, blinking to select each letter as the alphabet was recited to him slowly, over and over again. In the same way, he was able eventually to compose this extraordinary book. By turns wistful, mischievous, angry, and witty, Bauby bears witness to his determination to live as fully in his mind as he had been able to do in his body. He explains the joy, and deep sadness, of seeing his children and of hearing his aged father's voice on the phone. In magical sequences, he imagines traveling to other places and times and of lying next to the woman he loves. Fed only intravenously, he imagines preparing and tasting the full flavor of delectable dishes. Again and again he returns to an "inexhaustible reservoir of sensations," keeping in touch with himself and the life around him. Jean-Dominique Bauby died two days after the French publication of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. This book is a lasting testament to his life.
One young Elf. One big dream. Every night Oliver dreams of becoming a butterfly. He wants to fly and flutter around the forest with all the other butterflies. The butterfly within him, trapped in the prison of his elf body, is battling to come out. Despite Crow’s laughing, Oliver has many friends that support him in finding his power and path to transformation. Can Oliver hold onto his dream and become a Butterfly? Follow his journey in this magical modern fairytale to find out. “An inspiring and beautifully illustrated picture book that teaches kids about courage and determination.” - Kate Lobs, teacher. “Serena deserves a constellation of stars for consistently writing picture books that capture children’s attention and deliver important messages.” - G. Williams, editor. The Butterfly Inside is a story that inspires kids of all ages to never give up and empowers them to pursue their dreams.
In a powerful romance hailed as “heartbreaking, real, and breathtakingly beautiful” by Stacey Lynn, New York Times bestselling author A. Meredith Walters tells the story of a troubled young woman and the unforgettable guy who teaches her to live—and love—to the fullest. She’s waiting to die. . . . Corin Thompson is paralyzed by her obsession with mortality. Having lost both of her parents, she is terrified by the idea that she too will die young, and she loses control at any sign of illness. But when Corin connects with someone who has survived a very real brush with death, she begins to see the world in a whole new way. He’s learning to live. . . . As Corin struggles under the weight of her neuroses, Beckett Kingsley is attempting to rebuild a life that feels all too temporary. With the ever-present threat of heart failure never far from his mind, he just wants to make the most of whatever time he has left. And that means pursuing the girl he never expected to find. Together, Corin and Beckett finally learn to let go of their fears and take solace in everyday pleasures. Who knows what the future holds? After all, nothing lasts forever—the only promise they have is right now. Advance praise for Butterfly Dreams “All the feels: poignant, funny, sad, beautiful, and inspiring! Your own belly butterflies will take flight.”—New York Times bestselling author Katy Evans “A. Meredith Walters is the author I turn to when I want to get sucked into a beautiful story that packs an emotional punch.”—New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett “Butterfly Dreams is one of the sweetest, most beautiful novels I’ve read in a long time. My heart ached and warmed at the perfect story of Corin and Beckett.”—Sarah Robinson, bestselling author of Breaking a Legend “Butterfly Dreams is one of the most poignant books I’ve read all year. It’s heartbreaking, real, and breathtakingly beautiful. A. Meredith Walters weaves a story that draws you in from the very first page and refuses to let you go even once it’s finished.”—Stacey Lynn, author of the Nordic Lords series “The ending nearly killed me, but I survived. I read this book in one sitting, and what a roller coaster of a story. The author did an amazing job. . . . I found myself unable to put the book down.”—The Book Hookup Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
In 1990 I had several experiences that inspired me to document my nightly dream journeys. I had recently learned about lucid dreaming and after having my first fully lucid dream I became an instant devotee to the art and practice of conscious dreaming. Like others who have had a taste of waking awareness in a dream, it was an eye opening experience that reinvigorated and reinvented the way I perceived the world. After I filled several dream journals with my oneironautic expeditions, I was inspired to take key themes and experiences from my journals and weave a narrative to tie them together in the form of a storybook, The Butterfly Paradox was written and illustrated over the course of 20 years. It is my hope that in sharing these experiences, others will resonate with the motifs that unite us at the most sublime levels. Over the years of connecting with other dreamers, I have learned that we all share archetypal themes that surface in our dreaming minds. We subconsciously dress these archetypal forms into varied costumes and set pieces for the theatrical productions of our dreams. In dreams E=MC2; Emotions take on Mass giving the dreaming landscape its beauty and terror at the Speed of Thought. It's a magical place where one is free the ride the whims of the mind. So, take a step behind the curtain and enjoy a backstage pass to the storehouse of consciousness-a plunge into the Alayan Sea.The Butterfly Paradox is a haunting yet whimsical fable about a child's extraordinary adventure to a place where one's state of mind creates one's reality. Aaron Goodnight, a boy whose parents are separated, finds his way to the strange bubble world of Port Utolea where he befriends an enchanting girl named Leela Watermoon. She invites him to the Royal Butterfly Festival but things do not go as planned. Together they encounter several frightening obstacles and must learn that the path to transformation is through the very things they fear the most.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar meets Giraffes Can’t Dance in this sweet coming of age story about finding one’s courage. All Henri the Caterpillar has is a dream. It’s an amazing, incredible, impossible dream. And to chase it, Henri will have to leave the safety of his garden and embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Written and illustrated by the award-winning creator of A Bed for Bear, Clive McFarland, Caterpillar Dreams is the inspiring story of what can happen when you dare to believe in yourself.