The events described in this exciting and provocative three-act play, a companion piece to Endo’s highly acclaimed novel Silence, take place in 1633, nearly a hundred years after Christianity was introduced into Japan. By this time, Japanese Christians were being cruelly persecuted by the government; every Christian searched out was made to apostatize or suffer a slow, agonizing death. The central character of The Golden Country is Father Christopher Ferreira, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary. Given shelter by a Christian farming community, everyone looks to him for help, including one of his chief persecutors. When, after cruel torture, Father Ferriera apostatizes to the disbelief of his Japanese converts, the play reaches a climax that is later capped only by the courage, nobility and love of the martyrs. Father Francis Mathy’s detailed Introduction to this tightly constructed drama, which poses basic questions about the meaning of faith, love and fate, provides valuable historical background.

Golden Country, Jennifer Gilmore's masterful and irreverent reinvention of the Jewish American novel, captures the exuberance of the American dream while exposing its underbelly -- disillusionment, greed, and the disaffection bred by success. As Gilmore's charmingly flawed characters witness and shape history, they come to embody America's greatness, as well as its greatest imperfections. Spanning the first half of the twentieth century, Golden Country vividly brings to life the intertwining stories of three immigrants seeking their fortunes -- the handsome and ambitious Seymour, a salesman-turned-gangster-turned-Broadway-producer; the gentle and pragmatic Joseph, a door-to-door salesman who is driven to invent a cleanser effective enough to wipe away the shame of his brother's mob connections; and the irresistible Frances Gold, who grows up in Brooklyn, stars in Seymour's first show, and marries the man who invents television. Their three families, though inex-tricably connected for years, are brought together for the first time by the engagement of Seymour's son and Joseph's daughter. David and Miriam's marriage must endure the inheritance of not only their parents' wealth but also the burdens of their past. Epic and comic, poignant and wise, Golden Country introduces readers to an extraordinary new voice in fiction.

A topical and provocative exploration of Australian identity by Federal MP and author Tim Watts.

A topical and provocative exploration of Australian identity by Federal MP and author Tim Watts.

The country bunny attains the exalted position of Easter Bunny in spite of her responsibilities as the mother of twenty-one children.

The legendary adventures of the Greek king’s epic journey come to life in a modern retelling of The Odyssey that’s “an unmitigated delight” (School Library Journal). In their ten-year siege of Troy, the Greeks claim victory thanks to the cunning wit of Ulysses, King of Ithaca, who devised the infamous Trojan Horse. Now, with the epic war finally finished, Ulysses sets sail for home—but his journey will be long and arduous. Having angered Poseidon, god of the sea, Ulysses and his men are thrown off course by a raging storm and forced to wander the perilous world for another ten years. On his epic trek, Ulysses must match wits and strength with man-eating Sirens, a towering Cyclops, the witch-goddess Circe, and a slew of other deadly foes. Meanwhile, in Ithaca, his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, contend with a rowdy mob of suitors who have taken over their home in an attempt to usurp the absent ruler’s place.

Marysville's Chinatown is the last remaining of thirty such communities built in California's Gold Country during the gold rush. Home to one of the oldest operating Taoist temples in California, this region's rich history includes a visit from Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the first president of the Republic of China. For more than 150 years, the Chinese in Marysville have celebrated the Bok Kai Festival, and it's now the only place in America where people can experience the firing of the bombs and the mad dash to catch one of the good luck rings. Join authors Lawrence Tom and Brian Tom as they share the stories of the resolute Marysville Chinese and their pioneer forebears.

Sacramento resident and Gold Country native Christopher Arns shares tips on how to best enjoy the sights (and some of the best weather in the country). Using his extensive knowledge of the area, Arns provides original trip ideas to help visitors make the most of their time, including Sacramento on Wheels, Wine Country Road Trip, and Gold Country Adventure. From a visit to Apple Hill or an afternoon at Fairytale Town to dirt biking and kayaking through breathtaking scenery, Moon Sacramento & the Gold Country gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

Explorer's Great Destinations puts the guide back into guidebook. Also covering California Gold Country and the Northern Sierra Nevada, this savvy guide for upscale travels covers world-class ski resorts, casinos, and sought-after destinations and adventurous activities.