Publisher: BookRix
A series of small short stories that are a collaboration of sorts. One has to do with a young girl who lives with her mother in poverty and discovers a large subflower seed.
Americans have long been fascinated by the Civil War and its biggest battles, particularly Gettysburg, Antietam, and Shiloh, all of which involved Robert E. Lee or Ulysses S. Grant. But one of the 6 biggest battles of the war, and the one that took the heaviest toll by % on both armies was fought at the end of 1862 in Tennessee, and it involved neither of those generals. In late December 1862, William Rosecrans’s Union Army of the Cumberland was contesting Middle Tennessee against Braxton Bragg’s Army of Tennessee, and for three days the two armies savaged each other as Bragg threw his army at Rosecrans in a series of desperate assaults. Bragg’s army was unable to dislodge the Union army, and he eventually withdrew his army after learning that Rosecrans was on the verge of receiving reinforcements. Though the battle was stalemated, the fact that the Union army was left in possession of the field allowed Rosecrans to declare victory and embarrassed Bragg. Though Stones River is mostly overlooked as a Civil War battle today, it had a decisive impact on the war. The two armies had both suffered nearly 33% casualties, an astounding number in 1862 that also ensured Rosecrans would not start another offensive campaign in Tennessee until the following June. The Union victory also ensured control of Nashville, Middle Tennessee, and Kentucky for the rest of the war, prompting Lincoln to tell Rosecrans, “You gave us a hard-earned victory, which had there been a defeat instead, the nation could scarcely have lived over." The battle and its results also set into motion a chain of events that would lead to Rosecrans and Bragg facing off at the crucial battle of Chickamauga in September 1863, a battle that is often viewed as the last gasp for the Confederates’ hopes in the West.Show book
The Minions of Midas by Jack London - What happens when a secret society demands your fortune—or sacrifices innocent lives instead? An electrifying tale of power, greed, and morality. Jack London was an interesting man. He ran for Mayor of Oakland, California twice in 1901 and 1905 as the Socialist candidate and lost both both times garnering less than a thousand votes in those elections. Did you know that The Minions of Midas was turned into a Netflix series in 2020? The show is set in Madrid, Spain, and while it’s originally in Spanish, it’s also available in English. A story Jack London wrote back in 1901—that was mostly overlooked for nearly 120 years—is now a full-blown miniseries!Show book
Starlight! by Isaac Asimov Arthur Trent heard them quite clearly. The tense, angry words shot out of his receiver. “Trent! You can't get away. We will intersect your orbit in two hours and if you try to resist we will blow you out of space.” Trent smiled and said nothing. He had no weapons and he had no need to fight. In far less than two hours the ship would make its jump through hyperspace and they would never find him.Show book
Maddy wants to be a wizard and lo behold his fairy godmother blesses him with magical powers, but only three. Maddy saves his town with his three magical powers but alas Maddy is out of magic when the people of Dwarf Town come to him for help in their personal matters. What will Maddy do?Show book
The Story Long ago, in the hills of Bethlehem, there lived a young shepherd boy named Amos. Amos was only eight years old but already helped his family care for their flock of sheep. His favourite sheep was a little lamb named Star. Star was different from the others, with a soft white coat that gleamed like the morning sun and a tiny patch of grey on her nose. Amos and Star were inseparable. Whenever Amos played his flute by the pastures, Star would prance around happily, as if she understood the music. One chilly evening, Amos’s father, Joel, returned from the village market with exciting news. "The Messiah has been born!" Joel announced to the family. "The Messiah?" Amos asked, his wide eyes reflecting the flickering firelight. "Yes," Joel replied. "A Savior, sent by God, has come into the world! Angels even appeared to the shepherds to proclaim His birth. They said the child is in Bethlehem, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." Amos’s heart swelled with wonder. The Messiah? Could it really be true? The next day, Amos couldn’t stop thinking about the baby. He overheard his parents talking about bringing gifts to the Messiah. His father planned to take freshly baked bread, and his mother would carry a warm blanket she had woven. Amos wanted to bring a gift, too, but what could a young shepherd boy offer to a king? He had no gold, no fine spices, and no treasures. As he tended the sheep that afternoon, Amos watched Star play among the wildflowers. An idea struck him. I’ll give Star to the Messiah!Show book
Once upon a time, our friend Maria, the Ukrainian painter, was fast asleep. She had had a long day, painting wonderful paintings full of bright, happy colours and fanciful shapes. When the time finally came for her to fall asleep, she laid her head on her soft, welcoming pillow, and fell straight asleep. As soon as her eyes shut and her breathing slowed to a gentle, rhythmic pace, Maria began to dream.In her dream, there was a corncob horse. You may not know what a corncob horse is, but if you're trying to imagine one now, I'm sure you've gotten it right.Show book
