A chronicle of the development of canes and the staggering variety of materials employed in their construction illustrated with over 1200 color photos. The dazzling array of hidden gadgetry and weaponry is revealed, along with useful information for collectors. Illustrated auctioneer's catalogs with prices help determine canes' values in the marketplace.

A comprehensive study of walking canes from around the world, dating from the distant past to the modern-day. The book presents a historical context on both practical and ceremonial usage. At the same time, specially shot pictures showcase the celebrated A&D Collection of canes, while enlightening prose demonstrates the cane's enduring relevance to society. More than just a mobility aid, the cane has held numerous offices of significance. From the staff of the legendary Monkey King in the classic Chinese Journey to the West, or the stylised crosiers carried by high-ranking prelates from the Roman Catholic church, to the truncheon wielded by Mr Punch in puppet shows, canes are embedded in the culture of almost every country around the globe. Roving the map with one hand and thumbing through history books with the other, A Virtual History of Walking Canes and Sticks seeks not only to introduce the collector to the diverse wealth of canes available but also to entertain the casual reader. Intermingled with over 800 full-colour pictures are descriptions of gadget canes for tradesmen, squirting canes for pranksters, and glamorous Art Nouveau canes for the dapper gentlemen of the '20s. Informative and meticulously researched, this book paves an accessible route into a niche subject while paying homage to our ongoing relationship with canes. This story stretches back as far as history itself.

Over 760 color photographs display hundreds of canes & walking sticks, including formal canes with gold, silver, & ivory handles. System sticks have objects hidden in shafts & handles. Relic canes from shipwrecks and exotic canes come from around the globe. Folk art sticks are numerous. The text weaves historical tales through the narrative, bringing these objects to life. A bibliography, index, and values in captions are included.

Publisher Description

Isle of Canes is the epic account of a multi-racial family in Louisiana that, over four generations and more than 150 years, rose from the chains of slavery to rule the Isle of Canes. Historically accurate, this first novel by eminent genealogist Elizabeth Shown Mills is a gripping tale of cultural and racial conflict, economic triumph and ruin, and unyielding family pride told against the backdrop of colonial and antebellum Louisiana.

The stunning success of Reviving Ophelia, Mary Pipher’s landmark book, showed a true and pressing need to address the emotional lives of girls. Now, finally, here is the book that answers our equally timely and critical need to understand our boys. In Raising Cain, Dan Kindlon, Ph.D., and Michael Thompson, Ph.D., two of the country’s leading child psychologists, share what they have learned in more than thirty-five years of combined experience working with boys and their families. They reveal a nation of boys who are hurting—sad, afraid, angry, and silent. Statistics point to an alarming number of young boys at high risk for suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, violence and loneliness. Kindlon and Thompson set out to answer this basic, crucial question: What do boys need that they’re not getting? They illuminate the forces that threaten our boys, teaching them to believe that “cool” equals macho strength and stoicism. Cutting through outdated theories of “mother blame,” “boy biology,” and "testosterone,” Kindlon and Thompson shed light on the destructive emotional training our boys receive—the emotional miseducation of boys. Through moving case studies and cutting-edge research, Raising Cain paints a portrait of boys systematically steered away from their emotional lives by adults and the peer “culture of cruelty”—boys who receive little encouragement to develop qualities such as compassion, sensitivity, and warmth. The good news is that this doesn't have to happen. There is much we can do to prevent it. Kindlon and Thompson make a compelling case that emotional literacy is the most valuable gift we can offer our sons, urging parents to recognize the price boys pay when we hold them to an impossible standard of manhood. They identify the social and emotional challenges that boys encounter in school and show how parents can help boys cultivate emotional awareness and empathy—giving them the vital connections and support they need to navigate the social pressures of youth. Powerfully written and deeply felt, Raising Cain will forever change the way we see our sons and will transform the way we help them to become happy and fulfilled young men.

Christmastime is always magic, but this year seven-year-old Eddie is determined to put his own special touch on the holiday. He is given the task of setting up the manger scene at his church, and wants to add something to the traditional stable and figures that will reflect the joy he's feeling. But what should it be? Eddie's friends offer suggestions from their own customs and cultures, and the result is a nativity display like no other! "Candy Canes in Bethlehem" reminds us that the celebration of Christmas is as colorful and boundless as the imagination of a child. Interested in learning more about Christmas customs from around the globe? Visit www.DiscoveringChristmas.com for craft ideas, recipes, 'Merry Christmas' translations, stories, carols, and more. www.MiriamVanScott.com

A sweet children's Christmas picture book about the power of kindness.

Candace gets a job at The Zone amusement park over Christmas break, while also teaching a Bible studies class, nursing a hurt knee, trying to do something for a grieving friend, and suffering doubts about her boyfriend Kurt.