Comic Drama Characters: 4 male, 10 female Compelete interior Self-anointed Harlem store front preacher Margaret Alexander is the leader of her flock and about to see her world crumble. Son David her church organist, is set on following in the footsteps of his father, jazz musician Luke. When the errant husband and father comes home to die, Sister Margaret finds herself losing everything but coming to terms with her own true sense of faith. From the author of Blues for Mr.

As the First Lady of Zion Hill, Rachel is Pastor Lester Adams's wife - and she's currently pregnant. Unfortunately, so is Lester's mistress. Rachel has a few choice answers for exactly where mistress Mary can go. As these expectant moms do battle, hostilities erupt into a drama unlike anything Zion Hill has ever seen. Rachel contemplates everything from transferring her lifelong church membership to packing up and leaving Lester, but she knows deep down God is calling her to forgiveness.

In order for twenty-first century readers to properly understand Revelation, we have to look at it through first century eyes. Their understanding of the book frames our understanding. Start with the assumption that the last book of the Bible is exactly what it purports to be - a revelation, not a mystery. Add to that assumption the fact that it was written by a first century author and that it was originally read by first century readers who were expected to understand and obey the message contained in it. Take into consideration their first century frame-of-reference and the authors familiarity with the Old Testament. Wrap that all up in the popular apocalyptic literary genre of its day with its pervasive use of symbolism. That mixture of elements is what gave rise to the Book of Revelation.

In his internationally acclaimed novels, short stories, plays and essays, James Baldwin was and remains a powerfully prophetic voice in the American literary landscape, fearlessly brooding upon issues such as race, sex, politics, and art. His literary achievement is a lasting legacy about what it means to be American. Vintage Baldwin includes the short story “Sonny’s Blues”; the galvanizing civil rights examination “My Dungeon Shook: Letter to My Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation”; the essays “Fifth Avenue, Uptown: A Letter from Harlem,” “The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American,” and “Nobody Knows My Name: A Letter from the South”; and excerpts from the novel Another Country and the play The Amen Corner. Vintage Readers are a perfect introduction to some of the great modern writers presented in attractive, accessible paperback editions.

In 2004, Gallup polls showed that 42 percent of Americans supported gay marriage. Eight years later, by the end of 2012, support had jumped to 53 percent. Public opinion seemed to change at a rapid pace, almost overnight. How did it shift so quickly? The answer is: the media. In the same way that a small cadre of enthusiastic supporters in the amen corner of a church agrees with the preacher's every utterance from the pulpit, the media have been consistent champions for gay marriage and lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) causes. Through a carefully orchestrated system of selective reporting, slanted coverage and rewards and punishments, national media have gradually nudged public opinion in the direction of approval of gay marriage. Amen Corner: How the National Media Shaped Public Opinion on Gay Marriage examines the methods used by the media to promote gay marriage over the past 20 years, the effects of its promotion on the public discourse, and a plan of action consumers can utilize to be better informed as the debate on this important issue moves forward.

James Baldwin was beginning to be recognized as the most brilliant black writer of his generation when his first book of essays, Notes of a Native Son, established his reputation in 1955. No one was more pleased by the book’s reception than Baldwin’s high school friend Sol Stein. A rising New York editor, novelist, and playwright, Stein had suggested that Baldwin do the book and coaxed his old friend through the long and sometimes agonizing process of putting the volume together and seeing it into print. Now, in this fascinating new book, Sol Stein documents the story of his intense creative partnership with Baldwin through newly uncovered letters, photos, inscriptions, and an illuminating memoir of the friendship that resulted in one of the classics of American literature. Included in this book are the two works they created together–the story “Dark Runner” and the play Equal in Paris, both published here for the first time. Though a world of difference separated them–Baldwin was black and gay, living in self-imposed exile in Europe; Stein was Jewish and married, with a growing family to support–the two men shared the same fundamental passion. Nothing mattered more to either of them than telling and writing the truth, which was not always welcome. As Stein wrote Baldwin in a long, heartfelt letter, “You are the only friend with whom I feel comfortable about all three: heart, head, and writing.” In this extraordinary book, Stein unfolds how that shared passion played out in the months surrounding the creation and publication of Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son, in which Baldwin’s main themes are illuminated. A literary event published to honor the eightieth anniversary of James Baldwin’s birth, Native Sons is a celebration of one of the most fruitful and influential friendships in American letters.

Each year writers and editors submit over three thousand grammar and style questions to the Q&A page at The Chicago Manual of Style Online. Some are arcane, some simply hilarious—and one editor, Carol Fisher Saller, reads every single one of them. All too often she notes a classic author-editor standoff, wherein both parties refuse to compromise on the "rights" and "wrongs" of prose styling: "This author is giving me a fit." "I wish that I could just DEMAND the use of the serial comma at all times." "My author wants his preface to come at the end of the book. This just seems ridiculous to me. I mean, it’s not a post-face." In The Subversive Copy Editor, Saller casts aside this adversarial view and suggests new strategies for keeping the peace. Emphasizing habits of carefulness, transparency, and flexibility, she shows copy editors how to build an environment of trust and cooperation. One chapter takes on the difficult author; another speaks to writers themselves. Throughout, the focus is on serving the reader, even if it means breaking "rules" along the way. Saller’s own foibles and misadventures provide ample material: "I mess up all the time," she confesses. "It’s how I know things." Writers, Saller acknowledges, are only half the challenge, as copy editors can also make trouble for themselves. (Does any other book have an index entry that says "terrorists. See copy editors"?) The book includes helpful sections on e-mail etiquette, work-flow management, prioritizing, and organizing computer files. One chapter even addresses the special concerns of freelance editors. Saller’s emphasis on negotiation and flexibility will surprise many copy editors who have absorbed, along with the dos and don’ts of their stylebooks, an attitude that their way is the right way. In encouraging copy editors to banish their ignorance and disorganization, insecurities and compulsions, the Chicago Q&A presents itself as a kind of alter ego to the comparatively staid Manual of Style. In The Subversive Copy Editor, Saller continues her mission with audacity and good humor.

Alex just wants to play his new video game - but his parents say it's too nice outside! When it starts to rain he is very excited. His new game is a lot of fun! But when the rain doesn't stop and things start to get a little wet what will happen if Alex just keeps on playing?

From behind the drumkit to the top of the charts: the backstage story of the Bee Gees With worldwide sales of over 220 million records, the Bee Gees are the sixth-best-selling music artists in history. Dennis Bryon's story of how he became the Bee Gees' drummer during their peak period offers many never-before-told tales about such infectious hits as "Stayin' Alive," "How Deep Is Your Love," and "Night Fever." From Dennis's beginnings in a Welsh band to his crucial role in the superstar group, You Should Be Dancing reveals unforgettable stories of his encounters with many famous musicians, including the Bee Gees themselves, Andy Gibb, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, and Olivia Newton-John. Illustrated with Bee Gees photographs and ephemera, Bryon's memoir takes Bee Gees fans and music enthusiasts alike on one of the wildest rides in pop history.