There were two souls in the universe waiting to be united. One individual was in Rhode Island, and the other was in Massachusetts. One was a tiny toy poodle, and the other was a compassionate human being. Both were struggling with challenges in their lives before the union. Neither one knew they were going to meet someday. The human being had a vision to the universe to find a toy poodle. Perhaps the tiny poodle also had a vision to the universe to find a loving home. The tiny poodle was a scrubby stray found on a hot day under a car, with hair so long and badly matted, he could not even move. He weighed three pounds. The human read about the tiny poodle and went to the shelter, where they cleaned him up so well that he looked so beautiful. Five people were interviewed, but the compassionate human was the lucky one chosen, or they were lucky to find each other. They brought each other peace, comfort, and love in a true, loving bond. It was meant to be. They awakened each other's souls and had such an amazing journey together that will touch your heart.

A soulful chef creates his first masterpiece What Mourad Lahlou has developed over the last decade and a half at his Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant is nothing less than a new, modern Moroccan cuisine, inspired by memories, steeped in colorful stories, and informed by the tireless exploration of his curious mind. His book is anything but a dutifully “authentic” documentation of Moroccan home cooking. Yes, the great classics are all here—the basteeya, the couscous, the preserved lemons, and much more. But Mourad adapts them in stunningly creative ways that take a Moroccan idea to a whole new place. The 100-plus recipes, lavishly illustrated with food and location photography, and terrifically engaging text offer a rare blend of heat, heart, and palate.

In this propulsive memoir from Achut Deng and Keely Hutton, inspired by a harrowing New York Times article, Don't Look Back tells a powerful story showing both the ugliness and the beauty of humanity, and the power of not giving up. I want life. After a deadly attack in South Sudan left six-year-old Achut Deng without a family, she lived in refugee camps for ten years, until a refugee relocation program gave her the opportunity to move to the United States. When asked why she should be given a chance to leave the camp, Achut simply told the interviewer: I want life. But the chance at starting a new life in a new country came with a different set of challenges. Some of them equally deadly. Taught by the strong women in her life not to look back, Achut kept moving forward, overcoming one obstacle after another, facing each day with hope and faith in her future. Yet, just as Achut began to think of the US as her home, a tie to her old life resurfaced, and for the first time, she had no choice but to remember her past.

The story of two very different people: KoKo, a twenty-something free spirit living her life to the max, and Jon, a quiet average guy who has given up his own dreams to move to Peru with his girlfriend. When the two meet, they find themselves rethinking their own lives.

'The Story of the Mikado' follows the inhabitants of the fictitious Japanese town of Titipu as they encounter a series of comedic misadventures. The story follows Nanki-Poo, a minstrel who is in love with Yum-Yum, a schoolgirl under the guardianship of Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner. Amidst laws against flirting and a threat of demotion to a village, chaos ensues as Nanki-Poo's secret identity is revealed and a vengeful lady, Katisha, arrives.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Story comes “an inspired thriller” (The Washington Post) about four Vietnam vets linked by a shattering secret and their global hunt to track down a brutal killer. Koko. Only four men knew what it meant. Now they must stop it. They were Vietnam vets—a doctor, a lawyer, a working stiff, and a writer. Very different from each other, they are nonetheless linked by a shared history and a devastating secret. Now, they have been reunited and are about to embark on a quest that will take them from Washington, D.C., to the graveyards and fleshpots of the Far East to the human jungle of New York, searching for someone from the past who has risen from the darkness to kill and kill and kill.

Soweto to Beirut follows a young South African Journalist on an emotional journey of self-discovery while covering conflict in Beirut, Lebanon (2006). The experience of war precipitates a deep loss of faith, triggering childhood memories of growing up in Soweto in the early 80s - with dramatic implications for relationships in her life. It's a fast-paced journey through time and place giving you the sensation of being nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Another perspective on how intergenerational trauma can wreak havoc in the personal and professional space.

"To understand the history and spirit of America, one must know its wars, its laws, and its presidents. To really understand it, however, one must also know its cheeseburgers, its love songs, and its lawn ornaments. The long-awaited Guide to the United States Popular Culture provides a single-volume guide to the landscape of everyday life in the United States. Scholars, students, and researchers will find in it a valuable tool with which to fill in the gaps left by traditional history. All American readers will find in it, one entry at a time, the story of their lives."--Robert Thompson, President, Popular Culture Association. "At long last popular culture may indeed be given its due within the humanities with the publication of The Guide to United States Popular Culture. With its nearly 1600 entries, it promises to be the most comprehensive single-volume source of information about popular culture. The range of subjects and diversity of opinions represented will make this an almost indispensable resource for humanities and popular culture scholars and enthusiasts alike."--Timothy E. Scheurer, President, American Culture Association "The popular culture of the United States is as free-wheeling and complex as the society it animates. To understand it, one needs assistance. Now that explanatory road map is provided in this Guide which charts the movements and people involved and provides a light at the end of the rainbow of dreams and expectations."--Marshall W. Fishwick, Past President, Popular Culture Association Features of The Guide to United States Popular Culture: 1,010 pages 1,600 entries 500 contributors Alphabetic entries Entries range from general topics (golf, film) to specific individuals, items, and events Articles are supplemented by bibliographies and cross references Comprehensive index

This wonderful resource from two authors with an infectious enthusiasm for children's literature will help readers select and share quality books for and with young children. Specifically focused on infants through the third grade, Sharing the Journey contains descriptive book annotations, instructive commentary, and creative teaching activities tailored for those important years. Extensive book lists throughout will help readers build a library of quality children's literature. Books representing other cultures are included to help celebrate diversity as well as cultural connection. Genre chapters include poetry, fantasy, and realistic and historical fiction. A chapter on informational books demonstrates how young children can be introduced to, and learn to enjoy, nonfiction.

A Love Frozen In Time... Reese Johnson yearns for a life other than the world of drudgery she's settled for as the manager of Gotham City Comics. What's that they say? Be careful what you wish for? Well that's a motto Reese should have tattooed across her forehead. Because Loki, the Norse god of mischief, has just the remedy for the boring life of this woman who denounces his existence. His recipe for disaster? Take a 30 year-old woman and send her back in time as a pawn for revenge. Couple her with Eirik Sigurdsson, a Viking Warlord, too arrogant and baggage-laden to be of any use for anything, but battle and bed. Mix thoroughly, folding in a heavy dose of pride, a tyrannical king, and a sympathetic goddess. Bake at high until a white-hot love is unleashed and then forever frozen in time.