Trouble always seems to find Bobby Coon. Hunted by Farmer Brown\'s Boy, treed by Buster Bear, chased by Prickly Porky the porcupine...what\'s a poor raccoon to do? Views: 594
Erik is proud that his father is a great fly caster, but then an unexpected outcome of a casting tournament leaves Erik questioning what once seemed to be only a sport.Years later, these questions deepen when Erik’s ideals are crushed by war. He struggles with his demons, until a discovery leads him to new meanings of fly casting. Through their prism, Erik sees the world in a forgiving light.From The Second Fly Caster:When I was a boy I thought my father was the greatest fly caster on earth, so I grew up dreaming of following in his way and not of becoming, as my mother wanted, an accountant.Today, I am a man who often relives the important events in my life, but when I think back to the five state casting tournaments my father won, most of their images and sounds have melted and flowed into downstream memories, except for the images and sounds of one special tournament. Instead of fading over time, they ripened in my mind in more than just a visual way, and now they are almost as vivid as the moments of today. …e-Story Description: Erik, a young boy, is proud that his father, the winner of several state championships, is probably the greatest long distance fly caster on earth. But then a threatening prelude and an unexpected outcome of a casting tournament leave Erik reeling with unanswered questions about what once seemed to be only a sport.These questions linger and then, years later, deepen when Erik’s idealistic plans and actions are crushed when he experiences combat in the Vietnam War. He struggles, unsuccessfully, with his demons, until a seemingly accidental discovery lead him back to the ways and new meanings of fly casting. Through their prism Erik learns to see himself and the world in a forgiving light. Views: 591
A sample story from the collection of 13 stories in Short Shorts & Longer Tales. A deaf mute aboriginal artist loses a canvas on which he has painted his life. Though he knows where it is, and he can see it, he can't touch or reclaim it. But his ancestral upbringing means he can't leave it behind, so he remains in the vicinity to be near it, passing his time waiting an opportunity.The sample story, "An Artist's Freedom", is merely to give an appetizer from the collection of 13 stories in "Short Shorts & Longer Tales." The sample story tells of an aboriginal deaf mute who loses a canvas on which he has painted his life. Though he knows where it is, and he can see it, he can't touch or reclaim it. But his ancestral upbringing means he can't leave it behind, so he remains in the vicinity to be near it, passing his time waiting for an opportunity to reclaim it. The story earned a 4th placing in the NZ Writers' College nationwide competition in 2010. The full collection is widely varied in location including Japan, Philippines, Australia and New Zealand; varied in nature from wonderfully witty, superb suspense and seriously sad tales. Varying in length from 1,000 words to a 15,000 word novella. Easily readable without a dictionary by your side. Views: 588
The defining battles from the history of Middle-earth are presented in a single, entertaining volume.The history of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth is filled with epic battles in an ongoing struggle between good and evil. The Battles of Tolkien recounts many of the greatest conflicts over thousands of years, from the earliest skirmishes of the Valarian Ages to the defining battles in the War of the Ring. Insightful commentary by Tolkien scholar David Day discusses how the people, tactics, and weapons influenced the outcome of each battle, and also how the legends of Middle-earth relate to the real-world mythology on which Tolkien based his famous literary creation. Maps and full-color illustrations help bring this rich universe to life, making it an invaluable reference book for Tolkien fans of all ages. This work is unofficial and is not authorized by the Tolkien Estate or HarperCollins Publishers. Views: 586
Long ago, a lone little burro roamed the high cliffs of the Grand Canyon and touched the hearts of all who knew him: a grizzled old miner, a big-game hunter, even President Teddy Roosevelt. Named Brighty by the prospector who befriended him, he remained a free spirit at heart. But when a ruthless claim-jumper murdered the prospector, loyal Brighty risked everything to bring the killer to justice.
Brighty's adventures have delighted generations of readers, and he has become the symbol of a joyous way of life. Some people say that you can even see his spirit roving the canyon on moonlit nights-forever wild, forever free. Views: 585
Chief Half-an-Ear, the oldest mouse in the woods, is being hunted by all the animals of the forest, who follow his tracks through the snow. But when they reach the end of his trail, none of the animals can find the little mouse chief. Then another hunter appears in the woods—this one on two legs, not four. He follows the tracks left by the weasel, the skunk, the raccoon, and the fox, but where the others found a dead end, the two-legged hunter finds just what he was hoping for. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Jean Craighead George, including rare photos from the author’s personal collection. Views: 584
Durrell's hilarious and warm My Family and Other Animals (1957) began a trio of reminiscences of his life growing up with a slightly dotty family—the overbearing and omniscient Larry; the affectionate and loving siblings, Margot and Leslie; and, of course, the overburdened and patient Mother—on the island of Corfu in the 1930s, when a pound could buy a villa and life was conducted as a series of riotously high (and sometimes low) adventures. But what shines through these five vignettes is the author's engagement with and immense affection for animals in all their forms. From fish to fowl, from lizards to little water fleas (daphnia), Durrell's eye is acute and his prose is tart. You can read this book for the humor alone (for he did perceive his family as some rare and rarefied species), but between the lines you can discern the makings of a world-class naturalist and a cultivated and engaging writer. Views: 582
Children will love this wonderful tale of Blacky the Crow, who has very sharp eyes, and who is often getting into trouble because he sees things he shouldn\'t. One day Blacky notices two fresh eggs in a nest belonging to Hooty the Owl and Mrs. Hooty. The eggs are a prize too delicious to pass up and Blacky devises a plan to snatch them. But does he succeed? Young readers will enjoy finding out in this charming tale by master storyteller Thornton W. Burgess.Reset in large, easy-to-read type, this book is filled with gentle humor and important lessons about nature and wildlife, and is further enhanced by four original Harrison Cady illustrations. Blacky the Crow is sure to captivate youngsters discovering the joy of reading and the pleasures of storytelling at its finest. Views: 577
A young artist pursues a search for knowledge through the treatment of homosexuality and the collapse of morality in middle class France. Views: 570
Mother West Wind\'s Children is a collection of fifteen "Why" stories: Why are Peter Rabbit\'s ears so long? Why does Reddy Fox have no friends? These and more entertaining children\'s stories all feature in this wonderful volume. Views: 567
Urien's Voyage is an allegorical account of a sea voyage. From the stagnant, teeming waters of the Sargasso to the frozen Arctic, Gide charts in prose the fantastic journey of the Orion and the sexual and moral transformations of those aboard. The temptations, suffering, and surroundings of Urien and his companions are described with an extraordinary profusion of detail, yet the pilgrims can never be sure of the reality of their experiences. The eponymous Urien is, we now know, the young Andre Gide himself. Written under the spell of the great French Symbolist poet Mallarme, the novel is an illustration of both the techniques and the aesthetic credo of the Symbolist movement. Although written early in the career of this key French thinker and Nobel Prize-Winner, Urien's Voyage is now regarded as a significant work, articulating the powerful tension between sexuality and morality that would preoccupy Gide in his better-known later novels. Views: 559
Originally drawn to the game by his father, Carl Hiaasen wisely quit golfing in 1973. But some ambitions refuse to die, and as the years–and memories of shanked 7-irons faded, it dawned on Carl that there might be one thing in life he could do better in middle age than he could as a youth. So gradually he ventured back to the dreaded driving range, this time as the father of a five-year-old son–and also as a grandfather.
“What possesses a man to return in midlife to a game at which he’d never excelled in his prime, and which in fact had dealt him mostly failure, angst and exasperation? Here’s why I did it: I’m one sick bastard.” And thus we have Carl’s foray into a world of baffling titanium technology, high-priced golf gurus, bizarre infomercial gimmicks and the mind-bending phenomenon of Tiger Woods; a maddening universe of hooks and slices where Carl ultimately–and foolishly–agrees to compete in a country-club tournament against players who can actually hit the ball. “That’s the secret of the sport’s infernal seduction,” he writes. “It surrenders just enough good shots to let you talk yourself out of quitting.”
Hiaasen’s chronicle of his shaky return to this bedeviling pastime and the ensuing demolition of his self-esteem–culminating with the savage 45-hole tournament–will have you rolling with laughter. Yet the bittersweet memories of playing with his own father and the glow he feels when watching his own young son belt the ball down the fairway will also touch your heart. Forget Tiger, Phil and Ernie. If you want to understand the true lure of golf, turn to Carl Hiaasen, who offers an extraordinary audiobook for the ordinary hacker.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Carl Hiaasen's Bad Monkey. Views: 557
The Purple Land is a novel set in 19th century Uruguay by William Henry Hudson, first published in 1885 under the title The Purple Land that England Lost. Initially a commercial and critical failure, it was reissued in 1904 with the full title The Purple Land, Being One Richard Lamb\'s Adventures in the Banda Orientál, in South America, as told by Himself. Towards the end of the novel, the narrator explains the title, "I will call my book The Purple Land. For what more suitable name can one find for a country so stained with the blood of her children?" Views: 556
There\'s a big mystery brewing among the animals of the Green Forest — and it\'s all because of a strange little creature with no head, legs, or tail that came rolling down a hill and gave Peter Cottontail the fright of his life. What could it be?Young readers and listeners will love finding out about this and other interesting goings-on in the Forest as they learn how Prickly Porky made friends, what made Old Granny Fox lose her dignity, why Old Man Coyote lost his appetite, and more.Written by master storyteller Thornton W. Burgess, this classic combines all the fun of a good story with gentle lessons about wildlife, the environment, and human virtues. It is reset here in large, easy-to-read type, enhanced by six full-page Harrison Cady illustrations that perfectly capture the mood of this charming tale. Views: 550
