From the author of City of Bohane and Dark Lies the Island, a debut collection that "could easily have been titled 'These Are Little Masterpieces'" (The Irish Times)This award-winning story collection summons all the laughter, darkness, and intensity of contemporary Irish life. A pair of fast girls court trouble as they cool their heels on a slow night in a small town. Lonesome hillwalkers take to the high reaches in pursuit of a saving embrace. A bewildered man steps off a country bus in search of his identity - and a stiff drink. These stories, filled with a grand sense of life's absurdity, form a remarkably surefooted collection that reads like a modern-day Dubliners. Winner of the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, and a 2007 book of the year in the Irish Times, the Sunday Tribune, and Metro, There Are Little Kingdoms marks the stunning entrance of a writer who burst onto the literary scene fully formed. Views: 105
Barbara in Brittany By E. A. Gillie Views: 104
Born on a Blue Day is a journey into one of the most fascinating minds alive today—guided by the owner himself. Daniel Tammet is virtually unique among people who have severe autistic disorders in that he is capable of living a fully independent life and able to explain what is happening inside his head. He sees numbers as shapes, colors, and textures, and he can perform extraordinary calculations in his head. He can learn to speak new languages fluently, from scratch, in a week. In 2004, he memorized and recited more than 22,000 digits of pi, setting a record. He has savant syndrome, an extremely rare condition that gives him the most unimaginable mental powers, much like those portrayed by Dustin Hoffman in the film Rain Man. Fascinating and inspiring, Born on a Blue Day explores what it’s like to be special and gives us an insight into what makes us all human—our minds.From Publishers WeeklyThis unique first-person account offers a window into the mind of a high-functioning, 27-year-old British autistic savant with Asperger's syndrome. Tammet's ability to think abstractly, deviate from routine, and empathize, interact and communicate with others is impaired, yet he's capable of incredible feats of memorization and mental calculation. Besides being able to effortlessly multiply and divide huge sums in his head with the speed and accuracy of a computer, Tammet, the subject of the 2005 documentary Brainman, learned Icelandic in a single week and recited the number pi up to the 22,514th digit, breaking the European record. He also experiences synesthesia, an unusual neurological syndrome that enables him to experience numbers and words as "shapes, colors, textures and motions." Tammet traces his life from a frustrating, withdrawn childhood and adolescence to his adult achievements, which include teaching in Lithuania, achieving financial independence with an educational Web site and sustaining a long-term romantic relationship. As one of only about 50 people living today with synesthesia and autism, Tammet's condition is intriguing to researchers; his ability to express himself clearly and with a surprisingly engaging tone (given his symptoms) makes for an account that will intrigue others as well. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistStarred Review Although Tammet is only 27, his autobiography is as fascinating as Benjamin Franklin's and John Stuart Mill's, both of which are, like his, about the growth of a mind. Not that Tammet is a scientist-statesman or philosopher. He is an autistic savant who can perform hefty arithmetical calculations at lightning speed and acquire speaking competency in a previously unknown language in mere days (the latter capability he used to create the Web-based language-learning systems with which he supports himself). More socially competent and independent than the autistic savant famously played by Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, Tammet shares his peers' strong preferences for routine, peace and quiet, private space, and literalness, as well as aversion to chance occurrences, aural and informational noise, and figurative language (despite his arithmetical gift, he can't do algebra; he reads a lot but never fiction). He learned fellowship very gradually and says he couldn't really acknowledge his eight siblings until he grew up. He also writes some of the clearest prose this side of Hemingway; he tells his story with such concentration, precision, and simplicity that his familial poverty, schooling as a "mainstreamed" student, self-realization as gay, and embracing of Christianity prove as enthralling as they are, ultimately, normal. Ray OlsonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Views: 103
Terry - A Tale of the Hill People is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Charles Goff Thomson is in the English language, and may not include graphics or images from the original edition. If you enjoy the works of Charles Goff Thomson then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. Views: 103
Sequel to The Chocolate Lovers' Club. Survival tips for times of stress:1. Take deep breaths2. Count to ten3. Eat chocolate When the four members of The Chocolate Lovers' Club call an emergency meeting they go straight to step 3. Lucy Lombard thought her 'Happily Ever After' was all sewn up with her gorgeous boss Aidan, but she's just caught him in bed with another woman. As always, she's not the only one with problems — Autumn's new boyfriend has yet to meet her parents, Nadia's husband swears he's given up gambling but she just can't trust him, and Chantal is hoping to save her marriage, but not in quite the way she'd expected. It's clear these girls are going to need a lot of chocolate. Views: 103
G. Harvey Ralphson was a prolific author of young adult adventure novels. He is most famous for his "Boy Scout" series. Views: 103
When I opened the door of the flat there was a picture postcard lying in the hallway. It showed a reproduction of a painting by Joan Miró. I turned the card over. Neatly written, in green ink, was what appeared to be a date and time: 20 May--11:00. There was no explanatory message, no indication of who had written the card. The printed details told me that the reproduction was entitled "Woman of the Night." The painting could be found at the Miró Foundation. May 20 was the next day.Lucas, a musician and translator living in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, comes home one day to find this cryptic invitation. When he appears at the appointed time, he sets in motion a series of bizarre, seemingly interconnected events that disrupt his previously passive existence. He meets the alluring Nuria and they begin an intense love affair. He is approached by a band of Barcelona's mythic roof dwellers and has a run-in with a fire-eating prophet.... Views: 103
Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey, also known as Jessie Bell, was a popular writer during the late 19th and early 20th century. She wrote dozens of books, many of which would now be categorized as historical and/or romance. Views: 103
What They Didn't Teach You in Your Screenwriting CourseScreenwriters, listen up! Breakfast with Sharks is not a book about the craft of screenwriting. This is a book about the business of managing your screenwriting career, from advice on choosing an agent to tips on juggling three deal-making breakfasts a day. Prescriptive and useful, Breakfast with Sharks is a real guide to navigating the murky waters of the Hollywood system.Unlike most of the screenwriting books available, here's one that tells you what to do after you've finished your surefire-hit screenplay. Written from the perspective of Michael Lent, an in-the-trenches working screenwriter in Hollywood, this is a real-world look into the script-to-screen business as it is practiced today.Breakfast with Sharks is filled with useful advice on everything from the ins and outs of moving to Los Angeles to understanding terms like "spec," "option," and "assignment." Here you'll... Views: 102
The Heir of Kilfinnan - A Tale of the Shore and Ocean is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by William Henry Giles Kingston is in the English language, and may not include graphics or images from the original edition. If you enjoy the works of William Henry Giles Kingston then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. Views: 102
Is it True Love? (Circle the correct answer.) 1. You are dating an incredible boy named Stephen. He's good-looking, sexy, kind, funny, and smart. But you can't stop fantasizing about Sean, the hottest senior in school. Are you really in love with your boyfriend? Yes or No 2. You think about your high school teacher 24/7. You plot to hide in his bedroom closet and surprise him. Are you in love or out of your mind? In Love or Delusional 3. You and your boyfriend, Rob, spend Saturday nights playing video games, sharing pizza, and hanging out with his friends. Is this love or friendship? Boyfriend or Buddy 4. You meet a guy who makes your heart race and your knees weak. You are soul mates, the perfect match, cosmically meant for each other. You decide to bail high school and run away and marry him. Are you in love or brainless? In Love or Crazy Holly, Madison, and Lina are looking for true love. But how can you tell when it's real? What is true love anyway? For the answers, open this bo... Views: 102
