Masterfully told, marked by irony and humor as well as outrage and a barely contained sadness, Jerald Walker's Street Shadows is the story of a young man's descent into the "thug life" and the wake-up call that led to his finding himself again. Walker was born in a Chicago housing project and raised, along with his six brothers and sisters, by blind parents of modest means but middle-class aspirations. A boy of great promise whose parents and teachers saw success in his future, he seemed destined to fulfill their hopes. But by age fourteen, like so many of his friends, he found himself drawn to the streets. By age seventeen he was a school dropout, a drug addict, and a gangbanger, his life spiraling toward the violent and premature end all too familiar to African American males. And then came the blast of gunfire that changed everything: His coke-dealing friend Greg was shot to death--less than an hour after Walker scored a gram from him. "Twenty-five years... Views: 60
Al Qaeda knew before the 9/11 bombings that their mission to destroy Western capitalist culture would become extremely difficult if they continued to use the same methods as those deployed on the World Trade Centre, Spanish Trains and the London Underground. Their decisions would have a profound effect on terrorist operations for the next fifty years and would include the recruiting of disaffected white non-Muslim men and women; the limited use of electronic communication and previously unused methods of delivering terror to different targets. Alan Johnson seemed to fit Al Qaeda’s new profile of recruits very well; he was an ex-SAS soldier who had worked in the Middle East, becoming friends with many Arabs. He was happy there until the British troops shot dead his girlfriend after which he returned to the UK a bitter and revengeful man. Back home he built his audacious plot to bring the UK to its knees by importing lethal products knowing that the British public would not fail to use them and effectively kill themselves, spreading fear and death across the country. However to ensure maximum success he needed to play the part of an ordinary guy who drank too much, had friends in his local pub and holidayed with an attractive local woman. His Arab contacts enabled him to carry out his plan and with British Intelligence slow to respond it meant that Alan Johnson had the capability to deliver his threat and escape capture to repeat his activities in Europe and the US. Views: 60
SynopsisA sequel to The Hopscotch Summer Molly Fox has grown up in the back streets of Birmingham at the mercy of her cruel grandfather and her drunken mother. Though she has grown into a tall, beautiful woman, Molly is haunted by terrible family secrets. When she is found lying drunk in a gutter, Molly reaches a turning point. She decides to escape by joining the army as an ATS girl. At first her new start seems fated to be a disaster but the army gives her the encouragement she hungers for and soon her life is flourishing. But war brings tragedy as well as triumph, and when Molly receives news from home, it becomes clear that she can't escape her past so easily... Views: 60
Exciting new magical adventure series for girls - will you answer the call of Silver Dolphins?Antonia is a secret Silver Dolphin – she's responsible for helping the creatures of the bay when their environment is threatened, by responding to the call of her magic necklace. When her cousins come to stay, Antonia's loyalties are divided between family and her dolphin friends. New Sea Watch members are also causing rifts and she can't help getting swept up in rivalry with Rosie, the latest volunteer. Will Antonia end up breaking the most important promise of all? Views: 60
