“Flor Fernandez Barrios ushers readers into startling proximity to a Cuba seen through the eyes of a woman whose childhood was both shaped and shattered by the beautiful island. The indelible quality of Barrios’s observations, specific and true, make Blessed by Thunder an important chronicle of the Cuban experience.” —The Bloomsbury Review “Fernandez’s book is a visually rich portrait of a tumultuous era. Fernandez knows how to craft a compelling narrative best of all are [her] enchanting cast of characters.” —The Miami Herald “Flor Fernandez Barrios reminds us what we can never forget, that ties to one’s homeland endure. When she calls on her grandmother for strength in America, the invisible bonds of all our ancestors appear. This book holds healing words as we begin to restore our relations with Cuba.” —Terry Tempest Williams “A stunning portrait of what binds life together despite our terrible tests. It is gorgeous in the telling. I could not put it down.” —Joy Harjo

A high-stakes quest for the Ark of the Covenant. An assassin out to stop them. And a man named Caleb, whose supernatural powers may be the only thing that can save them. In this explosive sequel to Blessed Child, Jewish soldier-turned-archaeologist Rebecca Soloman leads a team deep into the Ethiopian desert to find the one man who may know the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant. Such a discovery would bring hope back to her people. Her search brings excitement and danger—including unexpected love and a discovery far more powerful than even the holy artifact. Meanwhile, Islamic fundamentalists dispatch Ismael, their most accomplished assassin, to pursue Rebecca and the man she’s searching for. These men fear that the Ark’s discovery will compel Israel to rebuild Solomon’s temple—on the very site of their holy mosque in Jerusalem. But the man they seek is no ordinary man. His name is Caleb, and he too is on a mission—to find again the love he embraced as a child and to share that love with the world. Book two in the Caleb duology: Blessed Child A Man Called Blessed Book length: approximately 100,000 words

A farm family scurries for shelter from a violent thunderstorm that brings welcome relief from the heat and also an unexpected surprise.

“Dray captures the genius and ingenuity of Franklin’s scientific thinking and then does something even more fascinating: He shows how science shaped his diplomacy, politics, and Enlightenment philosophy.” –Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life Today we think of Benjamin Franklin as a founder of American independence who also dabbled in science. But in Franklin’s day, the era of Enlightenment, long before he was an eminent statesman, he was famous for his revolutionary scientific work. Pulitzer Prize finalist Philip Dray uses the evolution of Franklin’s scientific curiosity and empirical thinking as a metaphor for America’s struggle to establish its fundamental values. He recounts how Franklin unlocked one of the greatest natural mysteries of his day, the seemingly unknowable powers of lightning and electricity. Rich in historical detail and based on numerous primary sources, Stealing God’s Thunder is a fascinating original look at one of our most beloved and complex founding fathers.

Canadian comic actor Mike Myers writes from the heart about his native land, Canada, and what it means to be a Canadian.

How will Audrey and her fellow schoolmarms stay afloat when a flood threatens their small Texas town? Typically, Thunder Ridge, Texas, is dry as a bone. But Audrey Pride has arrived under a storm cloud, one that is deluging the shocked community with weeks of relentless, drenching rain. With travel in and out of town rendered impossible, there is much important work for her to do—especially when an epidemic of violent illness, originating from a stranded wagon train, spreads rapidly throughout Thunder Ridge. Caring for the sick is consuming Audrey's every waking hour...yet her thoughts keep returning to the attractive widower Eli Gray. Eli has long been haunted by the fact that he was away at war when his beloved wife died in childbirth. Little by little, however, he is opening his heart again. Now, as their town sags under the crushing weight of water and disease, Audrey and Eli will need to depend on each other in ways they never imagined possible.

A meditation on the Gospel of John uses parables from everyday life to illuminate the many ways Christians can bring their lives closer to God.

The Jerusalem Talmud probably originated in Tiberias in the School of Johanan ben Nappaha. It is a compilation of teachings of the schools of Tiberias, Sepphoris and Caesarea. It is written largely in a western Aramaic dialect that differs from its Babylonian counterpart.

In this breathtaking debut novel by Felix Gilman, one man embarks on a thrilling and treacherous quest for his people’s lost god—in an elaborate Dickensian city that is either blessed …or haunted. Arjun arrives in Ararat just as a magnificent winged creature swoops and sails over the city. For it is the day of the return of that long-awaited, unpredictable mystical creature: the great Bird. But does it come for good or ill? And in the service of what god? Whatever its purpose, for one inhabitant the Bird sparks a long-dormant idea: to map the mapless city and liberate its masses with the power of knowledge. As the creature soars across the land, shifting topography, changing the course of the river, and redrawing the territories of the city’s avian life, crowds cheer and guns salute in a mix of science and worship. Then comes the time for the Bird’s power to be trapped—within the hull of a floating warship called Thunderer, an astounding and unprecedented weapon. The ship is now a living temple to the Bird, a gift to be used, allegedly, in the interests of all of Ararat. Hurtled into this convulsing world is Arjun, an innocent who will unwittingly unleash a dark power beyond his imagining—and become entangled in a dangerous underground movement that will forever transform Ararat. As havoc overtakes the streets, Arjun dares to test the city’s moving boundaries. In this city of gods, he has come to search among them, not to hide. A tour de force of the imagination, and a brilliant tale of rebellion, Thunderer heralds the arrival of a truly gifted fantasy writer who has created a tale as rich, wondrous, and captivating as the world in which it is set.

An exquisite combination of Judaism’s common blessings, stories from everyday life, and tales and wisdom from Jewish tradition, this book is a source of inspiration and a cause for self-reflection. A resource of over fifty blessings in addition to thoughts about gratitude, this slim volume opens the door for readers to acknowledge the opportunities for thankfulness as they reflect on their personal history and their day-to-day lives. Seeing opportunities for blessings can lead the way to seeing the beauty in their lives. The authors, a storyteller and a scholar who are long-time friends, have brought their diverse skills, insights, and experiences to help people discover the blessings in their own lives and connect afresh to their religious paths. Every person’s life is comprised of stories. Each story provides an opportunity for insight into the human condition, as well as a chance to think about the deeper meaning in our lives. Connecting our personal stories—our joys, troubles, and triumphs—to messages from the world’s great religions can repair links that for some have long been broken. Many of the book’s stories are warm, light, and humorous glimpses into treasured moments like the ones in the lives we all lead.