Still recovering from the heartbreak of infertility, memoirist Gail McCormick and her husband volunteer to host two Children of Chernobyl for a summer reprieve from radiation exposure. Fate pairs the Seattle couple with eight-year-old Ukrainian twin sisters from Belarus—and rekindles Gail’s childhood dream to build a bridge of peace between the US and the former Soviet Union. Over four summers of mayhem and magic with the twins, a deep relationship takes root. When the girls age out of the program that brought them to Seattle, Gail confronts her Cold War fears and travels with her husband to reunite with them in Ukraine and Belarus. On this soul-making trip to a land of unspeakable loss, she celebrates life in the homes of an accordion-playing Chernobyl hero and a barefooted babushka who distills her own vodka, and—behind the remnants of the Iron Curtain—finds her place as an honorary mother and babushka in a four-generation family of former Soviets. Poignant and culturally rich, her narrative transports readers to storied cities, villages, and dachas from Kyiv to Minsk. Written with reverence, insight, humor, and hope, Zoya’s Gift illuminates the complexities, joys, and importance of reaching across political, class, and cultural divides.

This collection offers an essential, structured survey of contemporary fictions of South Asia in English, and includes specially commissioned chapters on each of the national traditions of the region. It covers less well known writings from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as well as the more firmly established canon of contemporary Indian literature, and features chapters on important new and emergent forms such as the graphic novel, genre fiction and the short story. It also contextualizes some key ‘transformative’ aspects of recent fiction such as border and diaspora identities; new middle-class narratives and popular genres; and literary response to terror and conflict. Edited and designed with researchers and students in mind, the book updates existing criticism and represents a readable guide to a dynamic, rapidly changing area of global literature.

This Reader brings together a broad range of critical work on on the everday practices and power relations of domestic consumption -drawing on material from sociology, women's studies and media and cultural studies. The book is divided into five main sections - on economics, food and clothing, leisure and media reception, household technologies, and the construction of home - and its selected contributions examine the social dynamics of gender: generation, class and ethnicity.

This book delves into the intertwined histories of two families—one Russian, the other Jewish—spanning the period from the aftermath of the Civil War to the 1970s of the twentieth century. Throughout the narrative, our central characters endure the hardships of famine, repression, the Great Patriotic War, post-war struggles, the thaw of the Soviet regime, and the era of Brezhnev. It is a historical saga that intimately chronicles their everyday lives, their poignant reunions and heart-wrenching separations, their resilience and acts of heroism, all amidst the profound backdrop of enduring love and appreciation despite the adversities they face.Initially appearing so diferent, with distinct customs and traditions, these families fnd themselves united by shared tribulations and joys, imposed by the same challenging times. Although the protagonists are strangers at the outset, the 1970s see their destinies intertwined as their paths converge...As readers immerse themselves in this compelling narrative, they will traverse diferent times and places: soaring through the skies and grounding themselves on the sunlit terrain of the Poltava Region; exploring the bustling streets of Henichesk; wandering through the cultural hubs of Kiev and Kharkov; meandering amidst the grandeur of Moscow and Leningrad; venturing into Yaroslavl and Gorky; embarking on captivating journeys across the vast expanses of Siberia and Central Asia. Along the way, they will gain insight into the intricacies of life in a communal Moscow apartment, experience the charm and simplicity of a Ukrainian village, and even accompany an exploration and survey party on their mission.Throughout the course of their lives, the heroes of this tale encounter numerous individuals, spanning the spectrum from “red” to “white,” and even those who remain neutral. Each interaction leaves an indelible mark on the very fabric of their souls.It is imperative to note that this book draws its inspiration from actual historical events, and its characters are frmly rooted in the annals of history.

No Way Out of This is not the kind of Alzheimer’s memoir where you read about a noble, self-sacrificing wife who gives up everything to take care of her husband. We see such spouses in books and movies—but they’re not telling the whole story. Nobody’s that good. Certainly Sue Lick isn’t. Sue’s much-older husband, Fred, is a forgetful man. She’s always found that charming. But when his absentmindedness worsens into full-blown dementia, she suddenly finds herself dealing with his illness alone. Struggling to care for Fred and manage their two loveable but incorrigible dogs and still find time to write and play music, Sue constantly faces impossible choices. Tell people about his illness? Let him drive? Put him in an institution? Treat his medical problems, or let him go? Every decision feels wrong—but in the end, their love carries them through it all. More than 6 million Americans suffer from dementia. One in three seniors have it. Add in the spouses, siblings, adult children, and professionals responsible for their care, and we all have a stake in this story. While some caregivers have loving families to support them and enough money to pay for the best care, more often the situation is a lot messier. Here the author, a longtime journalist, tells the truth about nursing homes, Medicaid, mental health, and more.

Against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution and World War I Europe, Zoya, young cousin to the Tsar, flees St. Petersburg to Paris to find safety. Her entire world forever changed, she faces hard times and joins the Ballet Russe in Paris. And then, when life is kind to her, Zoya moves on to a new and glittering life in New York. The days of ease are all too brief as the Depression strikes, and she loses everything yet again. It is her career, and the man she meets in the course of it, which ultimately save her, as she rebuilds her life through the war years and beyond. And it is her family that comes to mean everything to her. From the roaring twenties to the 1980's, Zoya remains a rare and spirited woman whose legacy will live on.

A risky habit. A dangerous drop. But will a murderer make her watch her step? England, 1992. Zoya is a free spirit with a risky habit trying to find her place in the world. When she lands a place at an isolated dance school, it seems like the perfect fit. But, following a mysterious death, the countryside doesn’t seem so idyllic anymore. When the police aren’t making progress, she starts asking questions of her own. By refusing to accept it was an accident, she finds herself walking a lonely, dangerous path. Can Zoya bring the murderer to justice or should she tread more carefully? The Never Ending Fall is the third book in The Falling Awake Mysteries, a captivating character-led series that blends amateur sleuth crime story with an exploration of human connection. If you like compelling characters, leafy lanes, and a hint of the paranormal, then you’ll love Jenny Cutts’ intriguing novel. Buy The Never Ending Fall and follow the trail today.

What is more common than a pair of shoes? In a world where shoes have become an object of mass consumption, these accessories are now rid of any significance. The industry has accomplished its duty: producing a large quantity at a low price. But there was a time when the shoe symbolised the strength of the Roman legion, the power of the Medieval lords or the oppression of the Chinese woman. Its history is both vast and enthralling, as revealed by the author Marie-Josèphe Bossan. Supporting her analysis with an outstanding iconography, the author gives these commonplace objects a universal quality that sheds light on the whole of civilisation and elevates them to the rank of a work of art.

This book explores the variety of ways in which contemporary artists from around the world have come to approach drawing as the primary, sometimes the sole, element of their practice, and one which is autonomous: an end in itself rather than a means to an end in another, more substantial medium. In an era of advanced technologies where image production has accelerated potentially beyond the capacity of human attention what values can be attributed to the slow, deliberate process of drawing by hand? The artworks featured in this volume are not confined to traditional tools one can also draw on a computer, tablet or smartphone, and examples of digital drawing are incorporated into the narrative not as a separate category but as one medium among many. Grouped thematically by specific approaches, including abstraction and figuration, nature and artifice, social observation and critique, with essays and feature spreads for each section, this selection of international artists of diverse backgrounds and experience includes not only recognizable names such as Michael Armitage, Camille Henrot, Robert Longo, Amy Sillman and Kara Walker, but also a host of emerging talents. Beautifully presented in a visually appealing and tactile format with the feel of an artists portfolio, this is an inspiring overview of the best drawing practice today.

Karan, a simple focused guy.. Zoya, a full of life girl. What happens when stranger Zoya enters into Karan's life and how his life get a U-Turn.... Witness the friendship, Discover the New-Age College-Romance set in the streets of India and the Roller-Coaster journey of Karan and Zoya in, "Love.... Jaisa Kuch"