The National Book Award-winning novel of a young girl’s coming of age, from the author of Send Me Down a Miracle. Twelve-year-old Miracle McCloy never liked the story of her remarkable birth, but her grandmother Gigi has always loved telling it. An expert in occult magic, Gigi insists that when Miracle was saved from her dead mother’s womb, it was an omen of greatness to come. But how can Miracle become a prodigy like her father when sometimes she feels like she doesn’t even exist? When her father suddenly vanishes without a trace, Miracle’s life starts feeling less miraculous by the day. The only time she feels whole is when she’s dancing—an activity her grandmother strictly forbids. But shortly after her thirteenth birthday, a life-threatening incident puts her whole world in a harsh new light. And though she does not emerge unscathed, Miracle might finally see the truth about her past, her family, and herself. “Extraordinary . . . Nolan does a masterful job of drawing readers into the girl’s mind and of making them care deeply about her chances for the future.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “Elaborately drawn characters that will surprise readers at every turn . . . Compelling.” —Booklist (starred review)

Kathryn is on her way to becoming a successful teacher. In her last year of practice teaching, just months away from receiving her teaching credentials, she experiences a serious psychological setback triggered by a Ouija board contact with someone calling himself Nicholas. Kathryn seeks help from a psychologist, Dr. Jensen, but is hesitant to tell Dr. Jensen about this new love in her life, for fear he will think she is crazy. Kathryn is convinced Nicholas is real, however, because she sees him in her dreams. And he gives her evidence that convinces her he truly exists. As he becomes ever more real to Kathryn, it is hard to tell if Nicholas is just a figment of her imagination, or if they have been romantically linked together over hundreds of past lives. When Nicholas invites Kathryn to join him in the other dimension, shes unsure about how this will be achieved. However, she is receptive to his suggestions. Is Nicholas really looking out for Kathryn, or will he lead her to disaster?

Maureen O'Hara and Graham Leicester explore the competencies - the ways of being, doing, knowing and organising - that can help us navigate in complex and powerful times. They argue that these competencies are innate and within reach of all of us - given the right setting, plenty of practice and some gentle guidance. But they are seldom seen because they are routinely undervalued in today's culture. That must change, the authors insist, and this book is intended to begin that change.The book is based on the authors' extensive research and their practical experience observing the qualities demonstrated by some of today's most successful cultural, political and business leaders. They write of 'persons of tomorrow' that they have witnessed:"e;We find that people who are thriving in the contemporary world, who give us the sense of having it all together and being able to act effectively and with good spirit in challenging circumstances, have some identifiable characteristics in common... They are the people already among us who inhabit the complex and messy problems of the 21st century in a more expansive way than their colleagues. They do not reduce such problems to the scale of the tools available to them, or hide behind those tools when they know they are partial and inadequate. They are less concerned with 'doing the right thing' according to standard procedure than they are with really doing the right thing in the moment, in specific cases, with the individuals involved at the time. In a disciplined yet engaging way they are always pushing boundaries, including their own. They dance at the edge."e;

After a life of crime and poverty in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, forty-two-year-old Juanita Lewis, craving a simpler life, drops everything, including her three grown, deadbeat children, to move to Montana. Reprint.

The director and cowriter of some of the world's most iconic films—including Double Indemnity, Sunset Blvd., Some Like It Hot, and The Apartment—Billy Wilder earned acclaim as American cinema's greatest social satirist. Though an influential fixture in Hollywood, Wilder always saw himself as an outsider. His worldview was shaped by his background in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and work as a journalist in Berlin during Hitler's rise to power, and his perspective as a Jewish refugee from Nazism lent his films a sense of the peril that could engulf any society. In this critical study, Joseph McBride offers new ways to understand Wilder's work, stretching from his days as a reporter and screenwriter in Europe to his distinguished as well as forgotten films as a Hollywood writer and his celebrated work as a writer-director. In contrast to the widespread view of Wilder as a hardened cynic, McBride reveals him to be a disappointed romantic. Wilder's experiences as an exile led him to mask his sensitivity beneath a veneer of wisecracking that made him a celebrated caustic wit. Amid the satirical barbs and exposure of social hypocrisies, Wilder’s films are marked by intense compassion and a profound understanding of the human condition. Mixing biographical insight with in-depth analysis of films from throughout Wilder's career as a screenwriter and director of comedy and drama, and drawing on McBride's interviews with the director and his collaborators, this book casts new light on the full range of Wilder's rich, complex, and distinctive vision.

Actor. Artist. Cultural icon. Dancing on the Edge A bold memoir of an extraordinary, singular life lived by one of the world’s most beloved and acclaimed figures: Russ Tamblyn. With more than eighty years as a celebrated artist and actor under his belt, Russ Tamblyn is a cherished figure to name among cinephiles and pop culture fans alike, working with such legendary directors as Robert Wise, David Lynch, and Quentin Tarantino. He tumbled through his acclaimed starring role in the original West Side Story as an actor and acrobatic dancer, taught Elvis Presley some signature dance moves, and became an unlikely visionary in the counterculture movement of the sixties alongside peers and friends Henry Miller and Dennis Hopper. Russ deftly guides readers through his star-studded life and his search for a deeper, more connected existence: attending school with Elizabeth Taylor, earning an Academy Award nomination for Peyton Place, dropping out of Hollywood at the height of his career to become a fine artist in Topanga Canyon, and forging a lifelong friendship with Neil Young. He shares the painful breakup of a twenty-year marriage and the joy of finding true love and inspiration as a husband, father, and mentor in his own right. Perfect for old and new fans alike, Dancing on the Edge is an intimate and powerful story about the singular life of one of our most gifted storytellers, artists, and stars of the silver screen.

This book will assist you greatly if you or someone you know has PTSD,' and it seems impossible to shake the Anxiety and Depression. Overcoming unhealthy cycles of abuse, wrong attitudes, and corrupt thinking is not easy. However, the hard work pays off; I am no longer in a psychological prison, my soul has been set free, and I have made it through the darkest 7-years of my life. Anxiety was always a part of my perceived everyday life from childhood; it became increasingly difficult to manage in adulthood. The Depression worsened in my late 40's when [PTSD] uninvitedly reared its ugly head. It takes great courage to face demons that cause us to live in fear, doubt, and confusion, robbing us of our health, finances, and yes, even our very lives if we do nothing about it. Each mountain I overcame gave me the strength and courage to continue to press on until my breakthrough arrived. If you are unwell or supporting someone facing mental challenges, this book will encourage you not to give up. You may not see it now, but the road ahead has keys to help you unlock the doors to your healing. I long to see people set free from the tormenting mind games and anguish that kept me captive most of my life. Should you choose to invest in yourself now by dealing with the unresolved emotion attached to painful memories, you will find life is not that bad after all. Enough is enough! I want my life back. How about you?

Set in a time of immense change, Dancing on the Edge tells the story of a black jazz group, the Louis Lester Band, as they rise to fame, entertaining guests at exclusive high society gatherings in 1930s London. While many recoil at the presence of black musicians in polite society, the capital's more progressive socialites, including younger members of the Royal Family, take the band under their wing. In this explosive five-part series, Stephen Poliakoff returns to television with his most ambitious work to date. Dancing on the Edge provides a new angle on an extraordinary time in history, giving us a piercingly original vision of Britain in the 1930s; a time of glamour, hardship, vibrant new music and financial meltdown. Combining the rich characterisation of Shooting The Past with the epic sweep of The Lost Prince and inspired by true stories of the era, Dancing on the Edge was produced by Ruby Film and Television for BBC2. Also included is the innovative epilogue to the whole drama, Interviewing Louis, where music journalist Stanley conducts a combative in-depth interview with Louis Lester. This funny and disturbing drama complements the main story perfectly while leading us towards a shocking and unexpected conclusion.

This fictional story covers the life of Nick Packard from his youth to becoming a wealthy real estate developer in Boston,Massachusetts. After years of great success in one of the hottest real estate markets in America, Nick runs into bad luck in the 1980s as his once dynamic business falls into serious trouble and is choked By mafia infiltration. On top of this the disastrous real estate market crash hits in the late 1980s. One calamity after another strikes making this a suspenseful thriller. The places, real estate development details and economic events are real. The plot is fictional. Baby boomers will love the details of the period.