Twelve year old Harry's quiet life has been interrupted by war, with his father being sent to London. A Royal Air Force fighter squadron has been stationed in the field next to his family's farm, and Harry is amazed by the pilots and planes on the base. In his mission to be accepted into their group, Harry learns the true meaning of friendship. Views: 43
From an award-winning and extraordinarily eloquent author whose "prose dazzles" (The New York Times Book Review) comes a second stunning collection.Set on four continents, Anthony Doerr's new stories are about memory, the source of meaning and coherence in our lives, the fragile thread that connects us to ourselves and to others. Every hour, says Doerr, all over the globe, an infinite number of memories disappear. Yet at the same time children, surveying territory that is entirely new to them, push back the darkness, form fresh memories, and remake the world.In the luminous and beautiful title story, a young boy in South Africa comes to possess an old woman's secret, a piece of the past with the power to redeem a life. In "The River Nemunas," a teenage orphan moves from Kansas to Lithuania to live with her grandfather, and discovers a world in which myth becomes real. "Village 113," winner of an O'Henry Prize, is about the building of the Three Gorges Dam and the seed keeper who guards the history of a village soon to be submerged. And in "Afterworld," the radiant, cathartic final story, a woman who escaped the Holocaust is haunted by visions of her childhood friends in Germany, yet finds solace in the tender ministrations of her grandson.Every story in Memory Wall is a reminder of the grandeur of life--of the mysterious beauty of seeds, of fossils, of sturgeon, of clouds, of radios, of leaves, of the breathtaking fortune of living in this universe. Doerr's language, his witness, his imagination, and his humanity are unparalleled in fiction today.** Views: 43
Decimus Rex and Olu Umbika have managed to do what no one else has ever done—flee the clutches of Slavious Doom. As expected, the overlord is furious, demands their immediate capture, and sends out a search party to find them. From the wild dogs running riot in the sewers, to the soldiers scouring the towns above, it seems only a matter of time before the boys are caught. Views: 43
The country is at war, terrorists strike at random, widespread rationing is in effect, and the power grid is down. But thirteen-year-old Sky Brightman is remarkably untouched by it all. She lives off the grid on sixty acres of rural New Mexico ranch land with chores to do and horses to ride and no television or internet to bring disturbing news into her family's adobe house. Sky's schoolmates think she's a little weird.Then a string of mysterious arrests begins, and her new friend, Kareem, becomes a target. Sky is finally forced to confront the world in all its complexity. Summoning her considerable courage and ingenuity, she takes a stand against injustice. With humor, hope, and fierce determination, she proves that even a child can change the world. Views: 43
Having given up a high-powered job and the lifestyle to match, Tessa Hainsworth had no idea how hard she would struggle when, full of optimism, she fulfilled her dream of moving to rural Cornwall with her young family one September. In the first book Up With the Larks Tessa charted her first turbulent year with the Royal Mail, and her transformation from outsider to 'Posh Postie', adopted Cornishwoman and much-loved member of her new community.
In Seagulls in the Attic Tessa is now a pillar of the community, or so she thinks. Life is becoming hard for her and her family as they realise that being part of a small community is not quite the idyll she had been lead to believe, as lack of money and the demands of family life take their toll. But, as with the first book, Tessa finds the fun and resilience to turn all the hardships to her advantage - eventually.
The first book sold over 6,000 copies in hardcover and is rapidly becoming a must-read book for all those who hanker for an escape to the country.Review
"The narrative is full of stories of Hainsworth tending her allotment, charming the locals and enjoying scones with neighbours as she discusses the merits of goat keeping. You have to admire her determination to integrate herself in rural life"
About the Author
Tessa Hainsworth worked as a marketing manager at The Body Shop. She now lives in Cornwall with her husband and two children. Views: 43
From the backseat of the Bob-White station wagon, Mart said sharply, “Watch it, Jim. Those headlights are coming up on us awfully fast....” Suddenly the whole interior of the wagon was flooded with light that blazed into Jim’s eyes. “Shift that mirror!” he snapped at Trixie. Trixie obeyed, watching those freckled hands on the steering wheel and praying silently. If anyone can get us out of this nightmare, Jim can.... “Don’t slow down,” warned Brian. “He can’t miss hitting us...” 30989-8380 0-307-21592-X Views: 43
Travelogue, adventure yarn, political intrigue and tragedy, The Last Resort is a love story about the author and his homeland, Zimbabwe...In The Last Resort, journalist Douglas Rogers tells the eye-opening, harrowing and, at times, surprisingly funny story of his parents' struggle for survival in war-torn Zimbabwe. For many years, Lyn and Ros Rogers were the owners of Drifters, a famous game farm and backpacker lodge in the eastern mountains. But when President Robert Mugabe launched his violent land reclamation programme, everything changed. The Rogers found their home under siege, their friends and neighbours expelled, and their lives in danger. But instead of leaving, as their son pleaded with them to do, they hauled out a shotgun and stayed. Soon afterwards, Douglas returns to find the country of his birth in chaos, and his home transformed into something between a Marx Brothers romp and the Heart of Darkness: marijuana has supplanted maize in the fields; hookers have... Views: 43
Best friends Shai and Emmie, two third graders destined for superstardom, plan a benefit concert to help stray animals in this third novel in the Shai & Emmie series from Academy Award–nominated actress Quvenzhané Wallis.Shai, Emmie, and the rest of the student orchestra are busy preparing for a benefit concert to help stray pets—a cause near and dear to Shai's heart. So when she finds a tiny bunny alone in her backyard, Shai is determined to do what her mom would do: rescue the bunny and find it a good home! But the bunny rescue project is far more work than she imagined, and soon Shai doesn't have any time left to practice for the benefit concert... Views: 43
