Somewhere Apart: "My Favorite Place in Arkansas" : Arkansas Residents Past and Present

Book Description

"As handsome a book on the Negro Leagues as any child could hope to see, this focuses on 21 players, from Smokey Joe Williams to Cool Papa Bell to Jackie Robinson. Ritter writes with feeling about the history of the Negro Leagues, how Negro baseball differed from the majors, and what it contributed to the sport, but the main focus is on individual players...Illustrations are outstanding."--Booklist. "A worthwhile addition to any young ballplayer's library."--Publisher's Weekly.

Customer Reviews:

Fields of Racism: Excellent Book for Children.......2000-11-10

This fascinating account of pre integration baseball is a treasure. Not only does it introduce young readers (and parents not familiar with the "Negro Leagues") to great, almost legendary African-American players including Leroy "Satchel" Paige, Josh White, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Josh Gibson, and Jackie Robinson (as well as the Cuban-born Martin Dihigo, Jose Mendez, and Crisobal Torriente), but it explains segregation with facts and an appropriate tone of compassion and a sense of injustice:

"Before about 1950, if you were black and wanted to earn a living playing baseball, you were not allowed to play on the same team with white ballplayers. Prejudiced team owners, encouraged by bigoted players, established racist rules that prevented black athletes from playing in the major leagues, regardless of their skills."

The book also explains how Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier when Branch Rickey hired him to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. The book mentions the insults that Robinson endured (though not detailing them) as he paved the way for other early major league stars who came from the Negro Leagues (for example, Roy Campanella, Monte Irvin, Ernie Banks, and Elston Howard).

This initial integration spelled the eventual end of the Negro Leagues. Still, in one poignant quotation from Gene Benson, an outfielder with the Bacharach Giants and the Philadelphia Stars, famed baseball author Lawrence Ritter captures the accomplishments of these often unheralded players: "We never thought about the major leagues. We never dreamed that it would come true. But I know we were the pioneers. Without our league, where would Robinson have come from? If we weren't out there suffering and struggling, they wouldn't have any blacks in there now."

Although written primarily for kids, I would have liked to see photos (in addition to the excellent drawings) of the players, and, when known, their stats. For a more detailed look at the game, try Robert Peterson's great "Only the Ball Was White." This, however, is an excellent (if somewhat too brief) look at an era when "The National Pastime's" most prestigious (and highest paying) league excluded players on the basis of race.

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Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand NI

Place Apart
Dervla Murphy
Manufacturer: Shambhala Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Great Britain | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books
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Making Sense of the Troubles: The Story of the Conflict in Northern Ireland

The Dynamics of Conflict in Northern Ireland: Power, Conflict and Emancipation

The Course of Irish History, 4th Edition

ASIN: 0815965168

Customer Reviews:

Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand NI.......1999-11-27

Anyone who has ever been baffled by the seemingly mindless intransigence of politics in 'Norn Iron' (and, let's face it, who hasn't?) should beg, borrow or steal this superb book. Politicians are a product of their society and this is the most brilliantly insightful book I have ever read on Northern Irish society. What other writer would sit through the tedium of EIGHT Free Presbyterian services in various locations so as to ensure she had a proper understanding of that peculiarly Ulster phenomenon? Who else has attempted to get to know what South Armagh is really like behind the facile 'bandit country' cliches?

Most of those who hold forth on the subject either lack a real understanding of the North or bring a Unionist/Nationalist agenda to bear on their writings. Murphy manages to be both harshly critical of some sectors of Northern society (Orangemen, Provos) whilst retaining sympathy for them as individuals and attempting to understand how they come to hold the beliefs they do. Only one figure becomes uglier the more closely she observes him - Ian Paisley. Her description of the near hypnotic power which his sermons exerted on his listeners was chilling.

Dervla Murphy's combination of thoroughness and keen insight, together with her fluid writing style, make this an enthralling read. Now well over 20 years old, it is still the best portrait of Northern society yet written. Highly recommended.

Customer Reviews:

A delicious Cape Cod smorgasbord.......2004-09-16

Robert Finch combed the history and literature archives to compile this definitive sampler of more than 150 Cape Cod essays, poems, and book excerpts. Only a few of the selections run longer than a dozen pages, so this is a perfect volume for browsers. The writings are grouped by topic, and Finch first provides appropriate background and explanation for each section. More than mere introductions, these summaries draw on his vast knowledge of the genre and include asides that reveal his own wry wit. Skim through these pages and you'll proceed from early settlement histories and biographies, to whaling and seafaring, to Cape Cod nature and summer vacations. My favorite episodes are about the activities of the "mooncussers" and the "wreckers" who throughout the years salvaged remnants from the inevitable shipwrecks along the dangerous coastline. (Probably more than 3000 ships have been grounded and/or lost around the peninsula's circumference since 1627.) There truly is something for everyone here. Finch thoughtfully provides mini-bios of all 67 writers and always notes sources; so if a particular entry strikes your fancy, you'll be able to track down the original work for more in-depth reading. It's difficult to imagine how "A Place Apart" could be any better!

Selections are from the following authors: Conrad Aiken ~ Timothy Alden ~ Everett S. Allen ~ Gabriel Archer ~ Josef Berger ~ Henry Beston ~ John Peale Bishop ~ William Bradford ~ John Brereton/Brierton ~ Thornton W. Burgess ~ Douglas Carlson ~ Scott Corbett ~ Monica Dickens ~ Annie Dillard ~ Mark Doty ~ Alan Dugan ~ Timothy Dwight ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ Robert Finch ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ Brendan Galvin ~ E.S. Goldman ~ Adam Gopnik ~ John Hay ~ Cynthia Huntington ~ Henry James ~ Herman A. Jennings ~ E.J. Kahn, Jr. ~ Alfred Kazin ~ Helen Keller ~ Edward Augustus Kendell ~ Henry C. Kittredge ~ Stanley Kunitz ~ James Lazell ~ Clare Leighton ~ Joseph and Emily Crosby Lincoln ~ Joseph C. Lincoln ~ William Martin ~ Herman Melville ~ Thomas Merton ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay ~ Susan Mitchell ~ G. Mourt ~ Howard Nemerov ~ Nosapocket ~ Mary Oliver ~ Amos Otis ~ Jacquelyn Holt Park ~ Charles H. Philbrick ~ Marge Piercy ~ Elizabeth Reynard ~ Shebnah Rich ~ Wyman Richardson ~ George Santayana ~ Thomas Shephard ~ Roger Skillings ~ Walter Teller ~ Lewis Thomas ~ Henry David Thoreau ~ Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. ~ Mary Heaton Vorse ~ Mary-Lou Weisman ~ Richard Wilbur ~ Alec Wilkinson ~ Edmund Wilson ~ David Wojahn ~ and Ira Wood.

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Chinese Student in America
Very good
Generally Good- Really About 3.8 Stars
Wow.
Brillant Book!

An Ocean Apart, a World Away
Lensey Namioka
Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440229731
Release Date: 2003-12-09

Amazon.com

During the early 1900s, China struggled to maintain an unstable democracy as radical factions fought over territories and political titles. Many young women found themselves caught between old traditions and new notions. Xueyan, or Yanyan, is lucky. Her father is one of the few who believes in education for women. So when an opportunity arises for her to attend Cornell University in America, Yanyan takes it with her family's blessing. Her only regret is leaving behind her schoolgirl crush, Liang Boashu. Once enrolled at Cornell, Yanyan is overwhelmed by culture shock. In America, the food is heavy, the money system is difficult, and odd English phrases like "pull yourself together" are confusing. Still, Yanyan thrives at school, even when American "Big Noses" embarrass her by stereotyping her as a maid, or think she must be good at doing laundry because she is Chinese. But just when she begins to finally feel at home in her new country, Liang Boashu shows up. No longer an angry young militant, Boashu is now a polished diplomat with marriage on his mind. Will Yanyan be forced to choose between her hard-won independence and the feelings she still has for Boashu?

Lensey Namioka's story of one girl's quest for identity in a time of shifting gender roles is both charming and thought provoking. Teens will be absorbed and amused by Yanyan's attempts at American slang ("I had to pull my guts together") and witty observances of "Big Nose" culture, while commiserating with her search for self. Recommended. (Ages 10 to 14) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

While most 16-year-old girls are planning their weddings, Xueyan, known as Yanyan, has no interest at all in marriage. She is fascinated by medicine. In China in 1921, women rarely attend university, let alone medical school. Still, Yanyan is determined to become a doctor. But Yanyan’s feelings about marriage change when she meets Liang Baoshu.

An outstanding scholar and martial arts student, Baoshu is passionate and dangerous. He is determined to rid China of the foreigners who occupy it and restore power to the Manchu dynasty. Life with him would be an adventure. But when Yanyan realizes that being with Baoshu would also mean sacrificing her dream of becoming a doctor, she faces the most difficult decision of her life. And her choice leads to an entirely new adventure an ocean away in America—where Yanyan is the foreigner.

Customer Reviews:

Chinese Student in America.......2007-06-15

It is the nineteen-twenties, and Yanyan is living in China with her family. China is in turmoil, as it has been for years, but Yanyan's family is stable and progressive. She lives with her parents and her two older brothers. Despite the fact that she is a girl in a fairly wealthy family, Yanyan did not have her feet bound as a child. Her parents permitted her to attend the school run by American missionaries and she and her mother are encouraged to participate in conversation at the dinner table, even when arguments break out. Yanyan's father is a diplomat who has traveled to other countries and has seen how they live.

Despite the fact that she is a teenager and should be thinking about these things, Yanyan is not at all concerned with marriage. In fact, she would like to become a doctor and support herself for the rest of her life. Then she meets her brother's friend Baoshu, who is handsome and exciting. He wants her to run away with him and become a rebel, fighting the government. She thinks about his offer and the excitement that it would bring to her life, but instead decides to go to college. She enrolls in Cornell College in Ithica, New York, and travels thousands of miles away from her family to attend. College life is more difficult than she expected, and she encounters many prejudices about Chinese people. But she is determined to make it through and achieve her dream.

I liked that this story was a parallel of "Ties that Bind, Ties that Break." I liked seeing how another Chinese girl was able to make her way in the world. I liked the strength and courage of Yanyan's character. She knew what she wanted and didn't give up.

Very good .......2006-12-16

I picked up this book because I likeds the cover, I had no idea that it was going to be such a wonderful story!! I loved reading about how young girls began to make a difference in the world. This book is defently a must read!!!

Generally Good- Really About 3.8 Stars.......2004-03-05

Yanyan is a 16-year old girl living in China in 1921. She's finished with highschool, and wonders what the next stage of her life will bring. Always with an interest in medicine, Yanyan is thinking of finding a way to become a doctor. But then she meets the intriguing, charismatic Liang Boashu. He wants her to come away with him and be a part of his dangerous life, but is he more important to Yanyan than medicine? This question takes Yanyan to America, where she is faced with a drastically different life and decisions about where she belongs in it.

As stated, this book was typically a pleasant read. The biggest asset this book had was its likeable main character. Yanyan's courage, strength, spunk, and uniqueness just make readers want to root for her. Her excellent personality paves the way for her compelling choices and thoughts-both of which keep the reader just aching to know what happens next. I literally finished "An Ocean Apart, A World Away" in a day!

Yet something small slightly mars this promising read. Despite all of her spirit and sparkle, Yanyan's "voice" doesn't always sound natural. A bit of dialogue is quite stiff, and at times I had a nagging sense that the novel seemed too "simple." This simplicity was a little disappointing, since this book is for a "teenage girl" audience for which middle-grade straightforwardness was not needed. Yanyan would have been an even better character if her persona was more "embellished" and she wrestled with decisions a little longer. And, I've got to say it, the last chapter and the final scene were just too rushed!

I probably seem nitpicky and cynical, but I truly enjoyed parts of this book. I loved the personality of Yanyan and felt the ideas of the books were appealing and promising. Yet I can't quite give this book a glowing review with its style problems. Read it for a usually satisfying main character, but be prepared for a few flaws.

Wow........2003-08-04

China remains in chaos after the revolution of 1911 and young Xueyan benefits by having a progressive father who encourages her to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor of medicine. Yanyan, called Sheila, attends an English school and doesn't have bound feet, and looks forward to making her own love match, instead of having an arranged marriage. When a political exile that happens to be a former school friend of her elder brother is wounded escaping from the police, it is Yanyan who bandages his injuries.
The two begin to fall in love, but soon the young woman is forced to make a choice between eloping and living a life on the lamb, or following her dream. She chooses college and goes to America where she faces discrimination as a woman, a Chinese, and an immigrant, but in spite of oppression learns to cook and begins to master physics. Through her experience and willingness to try she makes new friends, becomes self-aware and begins to make a new life for herself.
The one flaw of this historical novel is the voice. Yanyan's first person narration feels a bit wooden, and there is too much recapping and retelling to get the reader to the point where she leaves for America, and the first semester passes in a blur of setbacks and successes. In spite of her strong personality, she lacks a strong voice. Period details flesh out the story, but also show how little some things have changed in a hundred years.

Brillant Book!.......2003-07-23

I just have to say, I am now such a big fan of Lensey Namioka. I've read "Ties that Bond, and Ties that Break" a little over a year ago, and now, After reading "An Ocean Apartm A World Away" I am simply blown away. This book was a continuation of the other and I absolutey love the fact that there are so many twists in it that you really never seem to expect. While there are so turns that went the predicable way, the rest of the story made up for it! The only down part about this book for me was, it ended on a note I didn't really like, but it was still good anyway. This is such I great read, and I can promise you, its worth every second! ^_^

A Place Apart: Monastic Prayer and Practice for Everyone

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Spiritual Growth Through Prayer
Insightful
Joining in Spirit With Monks and Nuns
Affectionately Written Work For Everyone

A Place Apart: Monastic Prayer and Practice for Everyone
M. Basil Pennington
Manufacturer: Liguori Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764802585

Customer Reviews:

Spiritual Growth Through Prayer.......2006-12-11

M. Basil Pennington wrote wonderfully to share all that God meant to him in his life on this earth. While this book was written from the context of monastic life, I found it very helpful in my own spiritual journey.

As a Spiritual Director, I appreciated Pennington's strong encouragement and clear statement in this book about the value of spiritual directors to the journey of others.

Insightful.......2006-11-04

I found this an excellent book for spiritual reading. It enhances one's prayer life and is and easy and pleasant read.

Joining in Spirit With Monks and Nuns.......2000-02-27

If you missed "A Place Apart" in 1983, you can come to this second edition assured that little has been changed. The publisher encouraged Fr. Pennington to issue this edition with a new introduction and photographs because of the many reader requests for a new copy of the book - their copies had begun falling apart with constant use. In "A Place Apart," Fr. Pennington makes it clear that "the call...to enter into the solitude of God, is not the exclusive prerogative of the monk." He believes that everyone who deeply feels the desire and need will find or create a place apart - a place to go with regular frequency for prayer and solitude. Each chapter describes a monastic practice that can be adapted or adopted by the layperson seeking to develop a more prayerful routine on the spiritual journey. The original "A Place Apart" grew out of several years of what Fr. Pennington calls "colloquia or monastic bull sessions" with men who came to the monastery as part of their process of vocation discernment. And the decision to publish the interesting and thought-provoking substance of those sessions was the result of his desire to respond to the many men and women who were looking for monastic values and practices to incorporate into their often very active lives. Fr. Pennington goes on to emphasize the importance of silence in the monastic life, but reminds us that although Trappists do not take a vow of silence, they do follow rules that require silence at certain times and in special places. And to us he says, "If you want the value of silence in your life you will have to find or create places of silence, you will have to agree on times of silence." When Fr. Pennington treats the subject of work and the monk, and how the layperson might adopt the monastic attitude toward work, he makes the point that although the monk "is to be conscious of his duty to cooperate with the divine creative energies in moving the creation along toward its goal," that duty is not solely "...the prerogative of monks, but the call of all Christians." In his Postword to the book, Fr. Pennington urges us to go beyond wishing to live like Christ. "We have to be eminently practical about such wishes and make them efficacious desires by practical planning and action."

Affectionately Written Work For Everyone.......1999-02-02

The vocation of being a monk is one that grows increasingly more difficult to understand for the many of us who live in the hustle and bustle of the modern world, but thanks to Father Pennington's beautiful work, monastic life becomes an inspiration to us all. Not at all intended to recruit prospective brothers, instead this book transcribes the habits of being a monk into our daily lives, so that we all may know the peace that these devoted brothers have as they pray for all of us in the rest of the world. "A Place Apart" is an inspiration for any who read it, and demonstrates effectively the necessity for silence and prayer in whatever it is we may do.

Guided Meditations on Images of God: Mother, Potter, Compassion, Love (Quiet Place Apart)

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Finally -- The Feminine in Aids to Meditation!
Superb devotional material
It's about time for christian guided meditation

Guided Meditations on Images of God: Mother, Potter, Compassion, Love (Quiet Place Apart)
Jane E. Ayer
Manufacturer: Saint Mary's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0884896110

Customer Reviews:

Finally -- The Feminine in Aids to Meditation!.......2004-11-04

Jane Ayer is bold to target such a vital topic, and one that comes directly from sacred scripture. Too often we shy away from the image of the feminine when speaking of the divine, but we should not do so! Jane helps us move beyond this problem.

During my years as a secondary religious studies teacher, I found Jane's meditations to be an extremely helpful aid in the goal of introducing teens to the practice of prayer and contemplation. The response of my students to these meditations was tremendous, and they were sincerely grateful for such genuine experiences of personal prayer. I highly recommend them to any catechist or religious educator. If you can get all of the various editions of Jane's guides, you will find that each of them fills its own niche for the various seasons and celebrations of the liturgical year. Once I arrived at Boston College to do doctoral work at the Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry, I was delighted to find that Jane and I shared classes together! She is a person of faith and energy and her work is to be applauded. Try it with the teens with whom you work and you will be amazed at their positive response.

Superb devotional material.......2000-10-08

Ms Ayer writes with a clarity and freshness that open up familiar Biblical themes in a whole new way. She challenges me to stretch my spiritual muscles and to continue to grow.

It's about time for christian guided meditation.......2000-01-11

This was an excellent audiotape for anyone who wants to experience relaxation and meditiation in a Christian context. This is the last in a series of guided Christian meditations. Strongly recommend

Guided Meditations for Youth on Personal Themes: Leader's Guide (Quiet Place Apart)

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Guided Meditations for Youth on Personal Themes: Leader's Guide (Quiet Place Apart)
Jane E. Arsenault
Manufacturer: Saint Mary's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0884893472

Guided Meditations for Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost: Leader's Guide (Quiet Place Apart)

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Of All Jane's Guides, This One Is My Favorite!
Wonderful resource with great results

Guided Meditations for Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost: Leader's Guide (Quiet Place Apart)
Jane E. Ayer
Manufacturer: Saint Mary's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 088489522X

Customer Reviews:

Of All Jane's Guides, This One Is My Favorite!.......2004-11-04

During my years as a secondary religious studies teacher, I found Jane's meditations to be an extremely helpful aid in the goal of introducing teens to the practice of prayer and contemplation. The response of my students to these meditations was tremendous, and they were sincerely grateful for such genuine experiences of personal prayer. I highly recommend them to any catechist or religious educator. If you can get all of the various editions of Jane's guides, you will find that each of them fills its own niche for the various seasons and celebrations of the liturgical year. Once I arrived at Boston College to do doctoral work at the Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry, I was delighted to find that Jane and I shared classes together! She is a person of faith and energy and her work is to be applauded. Try it with the teens with whom you work and you will be amazed at their positive response.

Wonderful resource with great results.......2004-04-22

I purchased this book to use for RCIA. We did the "Why are you crying" meditation, and it deeply touched all the participants. I will definately use this book again. The meditations are easy to use with well written instructions, reflection questions, and optional art expression projects to do following the meditations. Our participants especially liked the art expression excercise. It gave them time for some out-pouring of what they experienced during the meditation, and then were able to share with the group.
I highly reccommend this for anytime of the year, as each Sunday we celebrate the Paschal Mystery.
If you are looking for an alternative type of prayer for your group or yourself, buy this.

Guided Meditations for Ordinary Time: Courage, Loss, Gratitude and Needs (Quiet Place Apart)

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Guided Meditations for Ordinary Time: Courage, Loss, Gratitude and Needs (Quiet Place Apart)
Jane E. Ayer
Manufacturer: Saint Mary's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0884895882

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