Mike And His Brother Ben

Download or read book Hillwilla written by Melanie Forde and published by Mountain Lake Press. This book was released on 2018-07-26 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beatrice Desmond, 55, lives on a remote farm nestled in a deep hollow in southern West Virginia. Her troubled past–an alcoholic father, growing up borderline poor, a suicidal husband–along with her loyalty to a deceased friend, drove her to this lonely existence. She soldiers on, accompanied by her wry sense of humor, a faithful setter named Ralph, and an inherited herd of six llamas, one of whom hurls a wad of chewed-up hay in her face on New Year's Day, a most unwelcome omen. A native of Boston and a graduate of an Ivy League college, Beatrice is a fish out of water in fictional Seneca County. She has constant difficulty dealing with the locals, many of whom she finds interesting but unfathomable. And although she maintains contact with certain friends and family–lively and irreverent Evie, sturdy brother Bart–they remain distant geographically and sometimes emotionally. As a result, and too often, Beatrice retreats into her work as a translator and editor, or into the bottle of Jack Daniel's she maintains nearby. Fate finally intervenes, requiring Beatrice to befriend and shelter Clara, an abused teenager, and accept the job of ghostwriting the memoir of her dashing but enigmatic neighbor, Tanner Fordyce. Gradually, Beatrice finds the harsh Appalachian winter of her life easing and signs of a hopeful spring appearing. Her resolute independence and crusty reserve soften, her carefully constructed barriers fall, and her guarded and self-protective nature moderates, as she explores the renewed pleasures of emotional involvement. At times sad, at times hilarious, and always quirky, Hillwilla is a life-affirming read. It celebrates the glories of nature, the resilience of the human spirit, the healing power derived from genuine connections with others, and the potential for reinventing ourselves–at any age. Come, explore the unforgettable world of Hillwilla.

Download or read book A Ben of All Trades: The Most Inventive Boyhood of Benjamin Franklin written by Michael J. Rosen and published by Candlewick. This book was released on 2020-03-17 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A rousing biography from Michael J. Rosen and Matt Tavares reveals how Benjamin Franklin’s boyhood shaped his amazingly multifaceted life. Young Benjamin Franklin wants to be a sailor, but his father won’t hear of it. The other trades he tries — candle maker, joiner, boot closer, turner — bore him through and through. Curious and inventive, Ben prefers to read, swim, fly his kite, and fly his kite while swimming. But each time he fails to find a profession, he takes some important bit of knowledge with him. That tendency is exactly what leads him to become the astonishingly versatile genius we remember today. Inspired by The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Michael J. Rosen’s wry tale captures Ben’s spirit in evocative yet playful language, while illustrations by Matt Tavares follow Ben from the workbench to the water in vivid detail. A love story to the value of variety, A Ben of All Trades sheds light on an unconventional path to greatness and humanizes a towering figure in American history.

Download or read book The Trouble with Skateboarding written by Chris Ashley and published by Trafford Publishing. This book was released on 2004-02-15 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Counterfeit skateboards! Who is trying to put Mike Holt out of business? He's already had one tragedy in his life, will this be more than he can handle? Jim and Ben need to find out who is doing this quickly or their dreams of a skateboard park will be gone forever. This is the story of five close friends who all share one common love - skateboarding. They live in the small city of Exton, Pennsylvania that is not known as a skateboarding haven. They have dreams of changing that by helping to open a new skate park in their city. Their plans are taking shape when disasters strikes. Mike's shop is in danger of being put out of business by a mysterious stranger and that would lead to the end of the 2nd Annual Boardzone Skateboard competition and their skate park dreams. Like most kids they can't resist getting involved and jump right in to try and figureout what is going on - and of course, get into a load of trouble in the process. With the help of their Uncle, a retired policeman, the group of young people get into one precarious situation after another while searching for the identity of the counterfeiter. Each day leads our young group one step closer to facing their biggest challenge ever. Will they solve the mysterious counterfeit skateboarding ring? Will Mike lose his store and cancel the big competition? Will corrupt city officials steal the land for the new skate park? No one is going to take away their dream of the first skate park in their hometown. Even if they have to face their enemy head on - they will.

Download or read book The Fortunes of Francis Barber written by Michael Bundock and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2015-03-01 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This compelling book chronicles a young boy’s journey from the horrors of Jamaican slavery to the heart of London’s literary world, and reveals the unlikely friendship that changed his life. Francis Barber, born in Jamaica, was brought to London by his owner in 1750 and became a servant in the household of the renowned Dr. Samuel Johnson. Although Barber left London for a time and served in the British navy during the Seven Years’ War, he later returned to Johnson’s employ. A fascinating reversal took place in the relationship between the two men as Johnson’s health declined and the older man came to rely more and more upon his now educated and devoted companion. When Johnson died he left the bulk of his estate to Barber, a generous (and at the time scandalous) legacy, and a testament to the depth of their friendship. There were thousands of black Britons in the eighteenth century, but few accounts of their lives exist. In uncovering Francis Barber’s story, this book not only provides insights into his life and Samuel Johnson’s but also opens a window onto London when slaves had yet to win their freedom.

Download or read book The Good, the True, the Beautiful written by Mark J. Boone and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2021-02-19 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dr. David K. Naugle is widely regarded as a leading thinker in the area of Christian worldview formation. As Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at Dallas Baptist University, he has drawn accolades and admiration. This collection in his honor demonstrates that intellectual pursuits are inherently spiritual, that no area of life is separate from the lordship of Christ, and that true Christian faith is in fact the deep fulfillment of the human experience. On topics ranging from linguistics to gardening and everything in between, these essays represent the depth and breadth of the idea that all goodness is God’s goodness, all truth is God’s truth, and all beauty is God’s beauty.

Download or read book The Spark written by Kristine Barnett and published by Random House. This book was released on 2013-04-09 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kristine Barnett’s son Jacob has an IQ higher than Einstein’s, a photographic memory, and he taught himself calculus in two weeks. At nine he started working on an original theory in astrophysics that experts believe may someday put him in line for a Nobel Prize, and at age twelve he became a paid researcher in quantum physics. But the story of Kristine’s journey with Jake is all the more remarkable because his extraordinary mind was almost lost to autism. At age two, when Jake was diagnosed, Kristine was told he might never be able to tie his own shoes. The Spark is a remarkable memoir of mother and son. Surrounded by “experts” at home and in special ed who tried to focus on Jake’s most basic skills and curtail his distracting interests—moving shadows on the wall, stars, plaid patterns on sofa fabric—Jake made no progress, withdrew more and more into his own world, and eventually stopped talking completely. Kristine knew in her heart that she had to make a change. Against the advice of her husband, Michael, and the developmental specialists, Kristine followed her instincts, pulled Jake out of special ed, and began preparing him for mainstream kindergarten on her own. Relying on the insights she developed at the daycare center she runs out of the garage in her home, Kristine resolved to follow Jacob’s “spark”—his passionate interests. Why concentrate on what he couldn’t do? Why not focus on what he could? This basic philosophy, along with her belief in the power of ordinary childhood experiences (softball, picnics, s’mores around the campfire) and the importance of play, helped Kristine overcome huge odds. The Barnetts were not wealthy people, and in addition to financial hardship, Kristine herself faced serious health issues. But through hard work and determination on behalf of Jake and his two younger brothers, as well as an undying faith in their community, friends, and family, Kristine and Michael prevailed. The results were beyond anything anyone could have imagined. Dramatic, inspiring, and transformative, The Spark is about the power of love and courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles, and the dazzling possibilities that can occur when we learn how to tap the true potential that lies within every child, and in all of us. Praise for The Spark “[An] amazing memoir . . . compulsive reading.”—The Washington Post “The Spark is about the transformative power of unconditional love. If you have a child who’s ‘different’—and who doesn’t?—you won’t be able to put it down.”—Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind “Love, illness, faith, tragedy and triumph—it’s all here. . . . Jake Barnett’s story contains wisdom for every parent.”—Newsday “This eloquent memoir about an extraordinary boy and a resilient and remarkable mother will be of interest to every parent and/or educator hoping to nurture a child’s authentic ‘spark.’”—Publishers Weekly “Compelling . . . Jake is unusual, but so is his superhuman mom.”—Booklist “The Spark describes in glowing terms the profound intensity with which a mother can love her child.”—Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon and Far from the Tree “Every parent and teacher should read this fabulous book!”—Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures and co-author of The Autistic Brain

Download or read book The Commercial Telegraphers' Journal written by and published by . This book was released on 1925 with total page 1068 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: