Travel absurdities, a gathering of stories that have been etched in my memories for years. These incidents were not necessarily funny when they occured but can't help but laugh as I look back in fondness. Vacations, holidays, family reunions, summer outings are supposed to afford us with time to relax and renew our bodies from the normal daily grind of life but oftentimes become mishap ridden as we try to avoid the stress that made us take the trip in the first place. A vicious circle, but just ask me if I want to go somewhere, my answer is always yes! I never completely unpack my carryon. My luggage sits next to my bed beckoning me to take it out the door. This world is so vast and I have such memorable stories to tell, some absured, some humorous and others just one mishap after another. The stories people listen to, sometimes in disbelief.

Meet Duckie Dan, a cute furry little duck, who has a desire to travel and have lots of friends. Dan is mischievous and sometimes his curiosity gets him into trouble on his journeys. An unscheduled trip inside a candy factory leaves him a little gooey. Dan is an only-child and seeks out others to join him and enjoy his life with granny. Grandma Hattie made the mistake of saying, "There is always room for one more!"

Poor Marr-Lee the moose, he misses his home in the land where he was born. Alaska is so much different thatn Florida. He loved the mountains; cold streams full of salmon and forest of wonderful smelling cedar trees. The young moose does not know what to do. Duckie Dan and the other critters work together to try to help Marr-Lee overcome his homesickness . Marr-Lee finally realizes where his home is. Where do you think it will be?

Christmas AwayThe critters were not too sure about Grandma Hatties Holiday plans. Yes, a cruise was always fun but it was Christmas! The critters were chattering among themselves! Estes squawked, WHERE ARE WE GOING? Marr-Lee blurted out, FOR HOW LONG? Oddie wanted to know, HAVE I BEEN THERE BEFORE? Duckie asked, HOW ARE WE GETTING THERE? Tallulah was the most unsure of the five critters. She had so many questions for Granny. She started to cry, BUTBUT WILL SANTA KNOW WHERE WE ARE? PENELOPE A RILEY is the author and illustrator of the Duckie Dan Adventure Books. Her latest is Christmas Away. Through her words and illustrations she tells the readers it is alright to not be sure of something. Try something new but keep some of the old traditions, too. Having those you love around you is the most important part of the celebration. The Duckie Dan Adventure Books deliver a positive moral. She has authored two previous books in this series, Duck Dan the Traveling Man and Marr-Lee the Homesick Moose.

Duckie Dans Magical Adventure in Scotland and Ireland Duckie was off on another adventure. Grandma Hattie took him to Scotland and Ireland to see the land where her family lived many years ago. While Granny was searching for relatives, Dan was searching for magical things that he had read about. It was difficult to sleep that night in a new country, new beds, and many dreams of dragons, knights, castles, and a serpent named Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. She was not really a monster but was a big serpent that people saw from time to time. Dan wanted to see her. Finally he drifted off to sleep.

DUCK, TUCK AND ROLL A loud screeching began, everyone started shoutingFIRE, FIRE, FIRE! You could hardly hear the alarm because Marr-Lee was bellowing! Quickly, the critters saw Grandma Hattie in the hallway. Everyone collided as they rushed. Estes the Eagle was rolling down the stairs. Tallulah was flying in circles. Granny was just hoping no one was hurt. By the time they were in the front yard, by the old oak tree, the critters were laughing. Estes roosted high in the tree so he could see if the fire department was coming. It is a practice! The others yelled to him. I encourage all young children and young at heart to learn from this wonderful book. Saving a life does not have to be hard, and the learning can be fun! Lt. Ryan Riley Lee County Fire and Rescue, Station 4 Bishopville, South Carolina

Edited by Philip Thody, translated by Ellen Conroy Kennedy. "Here now, for the first time in a complete English translation, we have Camus' three little volumes of essays, plus a selection of his critical comments on literature and his own place in it. As might be expected, the main interest of these writings is that they illuminate new facets of his usual subject matter."--The New York Times Book Review "...a new single work for American readers that stands among the very finest."--The Nation

After several years of research into the new discoveries of science and cosmology and the new translations of the worlds religions, I have found that we are not only going extinct, but that we are the ones doing it through pride and arrogance. We as a species have developed an addiction to this ugly, disconnecting emotion. Totally lost to us is the unifying, sustainable emotion of humility. Clearly, unless we can recover humilitys natural state, we will continue in the violent, frightened, unjust lifestyle of pride, and we will force our own speciesand many others on the Earthinto extinction. This book maps out our personal, group, and species pride so there can be no doubt of its powerful influence inand lethal power overeverything about us. A study of how we can get out of pride and into a state of humility occupies most of the book because that is what we must do right now. If we are to live enjoyable and meaningful lives and have a future, we must throw off pride and enter into humility. This book is a map, guide, and call to hope for our joyful and sustainable future. Its a call to come out of our slavery to self to see and embrace other humans, groups, and species of the Earth. In this new state of humility, we will be released to see ourselves not just as citizens of the Earth, but as citizens of the cosmos. In humility, we will discover that we are not the center of anything but an important part of everything. We will throw off things like prides violence, illusions of control, worry, fear, anger, fighting, comparing, judging, competing, and taking everything personally. We will take on humilitys laughterespecially at ourselveslove, justice, peace, forgiveness, identifying with and appreciating everything, and being all-inclusive. The natural thing would have been for us to evolve into humility. It is the only way that any reflective species in the cosmos can ever hope to survive and flourish.

Travel writing has gained new appeal, and writers from the British Isles have been particularly productive and successful in this genre. This volume provides a concise introduction to the basic characteristics and historical development of travel writing as it has emerged in the British Isles from the Middle Ages to the present day. Examples considered include many classics such as Defoe, Sterne and Smollett, Isabella Bird and Mary Kingsley, Chatwin and Raban, and also lesser known representatives. Types of travel writing discussed include pilgrims' itineraries, exploration writing, tourist accounts as well as postmodern varieties.

Like Alain de Botton crossed with Charlie Brooker, Foley succeeds in educating and enlightening us in this wry take on the existential dilemmas of modern life. ‘Fascinating . . . the quest for happiness and how we are getting it all wrong' Jeremy Vine, Sunday Telegraph The good news is that the great thinkers from history have proposed the same strategies for happiness and fulfilment. The bad news is that these turn out to be the very things most discouraged by contemporary culture. This knotty dilemma is the subject of The Age of Absurdity – a humourous and accessible investigation into how the desirable states of wellbeing and satisfaction are constantly undermined by modern life. Michael Foley examines the elusive conditions of happiness common to philosophy, spiritual teachings and contemporary psychology, then shows how these are becoming increasingly difficult to apply in a world of high expectations. The common challenges of earning a living, maintaining a relationship and ageing are becoming battlegrounds of existential angst and self-loathing in a culture that demands conspicuous consumption, high-octane partnerships and perpetual youth. Rather than denouncing and rejecting these challenges, Foley presents an entertaining strategy of not just accepting but embracing today's world – finding happiness in its absurdity.