Other books that might interest you

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  Sunshine Sketches of a Little...

  Stephen Butler Leacock, Peter...

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  This annotated edition of "Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town" includes: 
  A biography of Stephen Leacock By Peter Gilchrist McArthur (1923). 
  "Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town" is considered to be the masterpiece of Stephen Leacock. Originally published in 1912, it is a set of tales occurring in the fictional hamlet of Mariposa, on the shores of Lake Wissanotti. Many of the characters in the stories are patterned on locals of Orillia, Ontario. The stories are  gems of Canadian small town folklore. Leacock brings the quirks, eccentricities and flaws of these everyday people to life in the most humorous way. Every corner of Mariposa has a story to tell! 
  Quoting Leacock: "Mariposa is not a real town. On the contrary, it is about seventy or eighty of them. You may find them all the way from Lake Superior to the sea, with the same square streets and the same maple trees and the same churches and hotels."

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  Cosa Nostra: The Notorious...

  Charles River Editors

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  Over the course of the 19th century, the people of Sicily found themselves at the center of a struggle for freedom, one that ended up being long and often very bloody. It was during these crucial years of struggle that the Sicilian mafia, La cosa nostra (“Our thing”), started to take shape. The original word “mafia” was a part of Palermitan slang, and although the origins of the word are not completely certain, some linguistic historians believe it originally meant “flashy.” One historian of the mafia, Salvatore Lupo, helpfully suggests that it was used in its earliest iterations to vaguely refer to a “pathological relationship among politics, society and criminality.” 
  In response to the rise of the mafia, the Italian state propagated a doctrine of Sicilian backwardness, which they used to introduce martial law and suspend civil liberties, under the pretext that they were not “ready” for the freedoms enjoyed by other Italian regions.[6] Northerners and foreigners mistakenly (and snobbishly) believed that the mafia was just a relic of the primitive, peasant culture that had dominated the island for centuries, and that it was destined to die out once the island had been properly absorbed into the dominant, mainland culture. Others hypothesized that the corruption in Sicilian culture was just a holdover from the Bourbon government and would soon be extinguished once a formal transition was completed. 
  Of course, they proved to be dead wrong. The Sicilian mafia was not a criminal underworld or a form of political rebellion, but more of a kingdom within a kingdom. In other words, according to historians of the mafia, it was a network of hidden power, an alternative hierarchy that sometimes worked in concert with and sometimes superseded official forms of law and order.

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  Broken Boots Redeemed Soul: A...

  Brian Lofton

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  He wore the uniform. He carried the weight. But the heaviest battle was in his soul. 
  In Broken Boots, Redeemed Soul: A Veteran's War with Sin and Salvation, U.S. Army veteran Brian Lofton opens up about his war with trauma, addiction, and spiritual emptiness-and the grace that redeemed his life. Through raw truth and gospel hope, this memoir shows that even the most broken can be made new.

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  Balancing between Bits and...

  Peter van Es

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  What do you do when you want to pursue a technical education but face obstacles? Certainly not become a boring, dusty accountant, right? In my case, that's exactly what happened. I found economics and administration interesting. While I thought I could do accounting well and applied for the position of assistant accountant, my life took a second turn. Uniquely, this led me into the realm of technology. The narrative of an IT professional originally aspiring to be an accountant unravels this story. 
  This book outlines office life at an accounting firm over the past forty years. It portrays the challenging and amusing moments etched in my experiences. What lingers most vividly are the interactions with colleagues, clients, and suppliers. Though there were trying times, I was fortunate to have supportive colleagues and trusting managers. This book recounts this remarkably beautiful period.

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  Blame Not the Wind: A tragedy at...

  Shirley Cooklin

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  "Very occasionally a tragedy turns into a triumph. This wonderful, searing book is such a moment. Rush to read it & be thankful." – Miriam Margolyes 
  Last night Ben phoned from Bermuda, collect as usual. I’d asked – though heaven knows why as we avoid soppy talk – if he still loved me.  
  He had said, ‘Course I do.’ 
  He would be home for a visit once the race was over. He could not say exactly when but would keep in touch. 
  It is early June: the third day of June, to be precise, and a day I will never forget. Something feels wrong. Better get up. 
  Shirley’s sixth sense was all too real: tragedy had struck Ben’s ship, Marques. 
  The government announced that it was a ‘freak accident’. 
  But something did not add up. 
  On 2 June 1984 the British-registered tall ship Marques left Bermuda Harbour, cheered on by watching crowds. With other sailing vessels from across the world, the barque was heading for Halifax, Nova Scotia, having won the first leg of the internationally famous Tall Ships Race. As they sailed out to sea, there was not a cloud in the sky. But by midnight the weather had changed and the seas became violent. 
  Just 80 miles from Bermuda, things took a turn for the worse – the ship lurched and water poured in through the wide-open hatches. In 40 seconds the Marques had vanished. Of the 28 people on board, 19 were lost: crew and passengers, hailing from Britain, Canada, the US and the Caribbean. Among the missing was Shirley Cooklin’s 18-year-old son Ben. 
  Driven to seek answers, Shirley finds only dead ends and denials. She begins to wonder – what if this was not a freak accident caused by the wind? What if the tragedy was the result of a gross act of negligence? And why is the Thatcher government so interested in the incident? 
  This is the riveting true story of one mother’s lifelong search for justice. 
  In her memoir, Cooklin navigates the turbulent waters of maritime law and political history. Her quest for justice in the face of corruption and misconduct makes this autobiography a compelling addition to any non-fiction collection. 
  nan 
  HarperCollins 2025

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  Augustine on the Christian Life...

  Gerald Bray

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  Augustine is widely considered to be the most influential theologian in church history after the apostle Paul. Dramatically converted from a life of licentiousness to one of wholehearted devotion to Christ, the humble North African pastor quickly established himself as a leading figure within the ancient church. In Augustine on the Christian Life, historian Gerald Bray explores the rich spirituality of this extraordinary man, examining his historical context, approach to the Christian life, and work as a preacher and teacher of God’s Word. Drawing on Augustine’s many writings―including his classic spiritual autobiography, the Confessions―Bray demonstrates Augustine’s enduring relevance for Christians today.  Part of the Theologians on the Christian Life series.

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