I Was Never Alone or Oporniki presents an original ethnographic stage play, based on fieldwork conducted in Russia with adults with disabilities. The core of the work is the script of the play itself, which is accompanied by a description of the script development process, from the research in the field to rehearsals for public performances. In a supporting essay, the author argues that both ethnography and theatre can be understood as designs for being together in unusual ways, and that both practices can be deepened by recognizing the vibrant social impact of interdependency animated by vulnerability, as identified by disability theorists and activists.

When life feels depleted, does God care I'm facing an onslaught of challenges, will God help When life grows dark and stormy, does God notice I'm facing the fear of death, will God help me The answer in the life-giving miracles in the Gospel of John is a resounding yes. In You Are Never Alone, Max will help you: Realize that Jesus is walking with you and lifting you out of your storms. Dwell in the grace of the cross, the miracle of the empty tomb, and the assurance of restoration power. Believe that God is your ever-present source of help. Recognize that you are never without hope or strength because you are never, ever, alone. Today, take courage that you are stronger than you think because God is nearer than you know.

In a warm and vivid style, the author describes life with her identical twin from early childhood to young adulthood. The setting is Bavaria in the mid 1930s to the 1950s. The twins' closeness helps them cope with the adversities of war and the untimely death of their father. They share the same experiences and emotions, and they enjoy the same activities. They view their togetherness as the key to happiness and promise each other never to get separated, never to get married. As teenagers they fend off a persistent suitor that pursues one of them while threatening the other. But then, in their early twenties, the twins fall in love with the men of their dreams, men totally different in their backgrounds, education and personalities. One is a German physicist, the other an Arabian businessman. Yet, in spite of living and raising their families in two different continents, the twins maintain their close relationship.

Never Alone By: Iris Fisher Smith Iris Fisher Smith's stories of family, friends and health will show the importance of sticking together with those you love. She had an Italian Grandmother who in her teens idolized Bonnie and Clyde; a father who was friends with Leonard Nimoy; a mother who attended school with the Boston Strangler and more. This family provides a rich history that shaped the author's life and personality. When Life becomes challenging, this is the time we need each other the most. It is important to laugh and play together and enjoy each other’s company.

DETERMINED DAD! Loner Cash Langley trusted and loved far too few. So when he lost his family—all but his precious orphaned niece—he was eager to build his world around the infant girl. But the baby was left in the custody of Jane Everett, his sister's closest friend! Shocked and outraged, Cash insisted that he should raise the child. As tender-hearted Jane struggled to resist Cash's demands, she prayed to understand heaven's plan. Could her steadfast love warm his cold heart—and bring faith to his chilly soul? Welcome to Love Inspired™—stories about life, faith and love that will lift your spirits and gladden your heart!

Elizabeth Haynes' new psychological thriller is a brilliantly suspenseful and shocking story in which nothing is at it seems, but everything is at stake. Sarah Carpenter lives in an isolated farmhouse in North Yorkshire and for the first time, after the death of her husband some years ago and her children, Louis and Kitty, leaving for university, she's living alone. But she doesn't consider herself lonely. She has two dogs, a wide network of friends and the support of her best friend, Sophie. When an old acquaintance, Aiden Beck, needs somewhere to stay for a while, Sarah's cottage seems ideal; and renewing her relationship with Aiden gives her a reason to smile again. It's supposed to be temporary, but not everyone is comfortable with the arrangement: her children are wary of his motives, and Will Brewer, an old friend of her son's, seems to have taken it upon himself to check up on Sarah at every opportunity. Even Sophie has grown remote and distant. After Sophie disappears, it's clear she hasn't been entirely honest with anyone, including Will, who seems more concerned for Sarah's safety than anyone else. As the weather closes in, events take a dramatic turn and Kitty too goes missing. Suddenly Sarah finds herself in terrible danger, unsure of who she can still trust. But she isn't facing this alone; she has Aiden, and Aiden offers the protection that Sarah needs. Doesn't he?

Various cultural theories (foremost among them, postmodernism) have figured in the debate over the politics of representation. These theories have tended to look at representation in the context of either audience enablement or commercial constraint; that is, do the images empower the public or inhibit it? One key area consistently overlooked has the been the study of subcultural or subordinate groups who appropriate what is traditionally considered "mainstream." The Madonna Connection is the first book to address the complexities of race, gender, and sexuality in popular culture by using the influence of a cultural heroine to advance cultural theory. Madonna's use of various media—music, concert tour, film, and video—serves as a paradigm by which the authors study how images and symbols associated with subcultural groups (multiracial, gay and lesbian, feminist) are smuggled into the mainstream. Using a range of critical and interpretive approaches to this evolving and lively cultural phenomenon, the authors demonstrate the importance of personalities like Madonna to issues of enablement and constraint. Are "others" given voice by political interventions in mass popular culture? Or is their voice co-opted to provide mere titillation and maximum profit? What might the interplay of these views suggest? These are some of the questions the authors attempt to answer. Some celebrate Madonna's affirmation of cultural diversity. Others criticize her flagrant self-marketing strategies. And still others regard her as only a provisional challenge to the mainstream.

An award-winning author looks at the personal prayers that Martin Luther King Jr. recited, explaining how King turned to private prayer and meditation for his own spiritual fulfillment, and to public prayer as part of his sermonic discourse, as an aspect of his pastoral care and as a way of moving, inspiring and reaffirming people. Original.

NYPD detective Megan McGinn has just solved the most important case of her career, and yet she has reached her breaking point. Struggling under the weight of her broken family and the brutality of her job, Megan is ready to walk away from the force—until the bizarre, ritualistic murder of a young woman brings her back. When the killer gets too close, stalking her from the shadows, Megan becomes trapped in a highstakes game of cat and mouse. To understand the mind of a murderer, Megan must walk a treacherous path. And the danger is only beginning. Praise: "NYPD detective Megan McGinn plays fast and loose with the rules in this fascinating debut."—RT Book Reviews "A promising debut."—Kirkus Reviews "Never Alone . . . has all the ingredients of a blockbuster police thriller and it delivers on every level."—Suspense Magazine