"This book is published in conjunction with the exhibition Pearls on a String: Artists, Patrons, and Poets at the Great Islamic Courts, presented at The Walters Art Museum from November 8, 2015 to January 31, 2016 and at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco from February 26 to May 8, 2016."

"Michele Lowe's radiant new play explores the possibilities that open up in the lives of an array of women as they come into contact with a certain strand of pearls. While the pearls are stolen, bought, bestowed, unstrung and nearly lost, four actresses play 27 characters in this deeply moving drama that is as fresh as it is funny. On the eve of her granddaughter Amy's wedding, Beth asks to see the pearls she gave Amy's mother long ago. When Amy cannot produce them Beth determines to find the pearls. She takes us back to the time when she received them and then gave them to her daughter, who passed them on to her dearest friend Ela who lost them one Sunday morning. Spanning 35 years, the pearls touch the lives of mothers and daughters, sisters and friends, even husbands and wives as they weave a deeply affecting story of love and loss."--Publisher's website.

After being absent for 600 years, China is re-entering the Indian Ocean with its ""Belt and Road"" mega- project. This book shows how China is in the Indian Ocean for the long haul and what that means for regional and international power struggles.

A near-death experience in a car with her Mother; running from tear gas at a Vietnam War rally hand-in-hand with her Pop; a year in India learning side-by-side the country's 'untouchables;' the highs and lows of living on a rural Pennsylvania commune...and all before Fiona Sprechelbach's thirteenth birthday. Set during one of the most politically divisive eras in American history, Thread for Pearls is a coming of age tale that takes us on a young heroine's journey to faith and freedom amidst a turbulent family dynamic. It's a story of resilient hope that questions whether it's the events of our lives that define us, or the thread on which we choose to string them.

The Study of Plants in a Whole New Light “Matt Candeias succeeds in evoking the wonder of plants with wit and wisdom.” ―James T. Costa, PhD, executive director, Highlands Biological Station and author of Darwin's Backyard #1 New Release in Nature & Ecology, Plants, Botany, Horticulture, Trees, Biological Sciences, and Nature Writing & Essays In his debut book, internationally-recognized blogger and podcaster Matt Candeias celebrates the nature of plants and the extraordinary world of plant organisms. A botanist’s defense. Since his early days of plant restoration, this amateur plant scientist has been enchanted with flora and the greater environmental ecology of the planet. Now, he looks at the study of plants through the lens of his ever-growing houseplant collection. Using gardening, houseplants, and examples of plants around you, In Defense of Plants changes your relationship with the world from the comfort of your windowsill. The ruthless, horny, and wonderful nature of plants. Understand how plants evolve and live on Earth with a never-before-seen look into their daily drama. Inside, Candeias explores the incredible ways plants live, fight, have sex, and conquer new territory. Whether a blossoming botanist or a professional plant scientist, In Defense of Plants is for anyone who sees plants as more than just static backdrops to more charismatic life forms. In this easily accessible introduction to the incredible world of plants, you’ll find: • Fantastic botanical histories and plant symbolism • Passionate stories of flora diversity and scientific names of plant organisms • Personal tales of plantsman discovery through the study of plants If you enjoyed books like The Botany of Desire, What a Plant Knows, or The Soul of an Octopus, then you’ll love In Defense of Plants.

A fictional exploration of identity, sexuality, gender, history and dress sense from some of Australia's most exciting writers.

A round, luminescent pearl is the simplest and most perfect gem. Columbus sought—and found—this precious jewel coveted by his Spanish sovereigns, sparking popularity throughout Europe. Fashion icons Jacqueline Kennedy, Princess Grace, and Michelle Obama cherished them, making them iconic. And designer Coco Chanel raised them to new heights, bringing pearls— fake and real—to women everywhere. In Tears of Mermaids, Stephen G. Bloom travels 30,000 miles in an effort to trace a single pearl—from the moment a diver off the coast of Australia scoops an oyster containing a single luminescent pearl from the ocean floor to the instant a woman fastens the clasp of a strand containing the same orb. Bloom chronicles the never-before-told saga of the global pearl trade by gaining access to clandestine outposts in China, the Philippines, French Polynesia and Australia. He infiltrates high-tech pearl farms guarded by gun-toting sentries, farms for pearls in rural China, and even goes backstage at Christie's for a fast and furious auction of the most expensive pearl ever sold. Teeming with rogue humor and uncanny intelligence, Tears of Mermaids weaves a nonstop detective story whose main character is the world's most enduring jewel.

While visiting Vienna, the Shah of Persia falls for a beautiful countess. The Austrian officials arrange for him to spend the night with the countess, but unbeknown to the Shah she is a prostitute who merely resembles the countess. From this night follows a chain of ruinous consequences.

Mayang 4.0 out of 5 stars Life through the eyes of gods Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024 The author's vast knowledge and wild imaginative abilities on this subject were readily apparent as the book took the time to ensure that the story was understood, whuch helped me understand why some of the details were as they were. That engrossing effect was present in this story. Embark on a karmic odyssey with ”The Pearl on the String,” delving into the cosmic saga of Sekhmet, a member of a galactic pioneer group instrumental in initiating the human race through DNA creation. In ancient Egypt, the alien gods utilized giants and an inherent understanding of frequency as instruments to structure energy into settlements with unparalleled vibrancy. Yet, as Rah's prophecy of a cataclysmic era looms, Sekhmet's steadfast belief in humanity's potential to pull itself out of the darkness becomes her exile sentence, propelling her into a cycle of karmic entanglement. Across five incarnations spanning epochs and civilizations, Sekhmet grapples with her karmic wound amidst the rise and fall of empires. From Persia's alchemical marvels to North America's collision with fate, her journey echoes through time, guided by her intrinsic soul connection, yet lost within the era of forgetting and separation consciousness. As the shadows of World War II engulf the world, Sekhmet's voice transcends temporal confines, offering guidance in a turbulent era. Rooted in the numerological wisdom of change, symbolized by the number 5, the narrative weaves a tapestry of personal destiny and human spirituality, inviting readers to uncover their own voices through the ages. Amidst the ebb and flow of history, a revelation emerges—the cyclical flow of energy unveils a profound truth: abundance originates from within. Shedding the chains of savior thinking, a new epoch emerges—one where humanity seeks its own illumination, forging a cosmic path and awakening to its limitless potential within. ”The Pearl on the String” is an enthralling exploration of humanity's evolution—from the cradle of guided cosmic infancy to the transformative embrace of self-empowerment—inviting readers on a journey of healing, discovery, and cosmic enlightenment. Translator: Jenny Richter PUBLISHER: TEKTIME