Publisher: Machandel Verlag
Once there was a little town named Bethlehem. Once there was a child born in a stable at Bethlehem. And once there was a devil visiting this stable... For readers with a slightly wicked sense of humor.
The conclusion to the centuries-old Chinese epic in a translation that’s “a joy to read . . . [a] fantastic tale of adventure” (Nathan Slavin, University of Pennsylvania). A monk contends with demons, spirits, and other troubles as he travels to India in search of Buddhist scriptures in this classic Chinese fantasy adventure. Written in the sixteenth century, The Journey to the West is a remarkable historical saga that follows the fourteen-year pilgrimage of the monk Xuanzang, one of China’s most famous religious heroes, and his four supernatural disciples, in search of Buddhist scriptures. Throughout his journey, Xuanzang fights demons who wish to eat him, communes with spirits, and traverses a land riddled with a multitude of obstacles, both real and fantastical. An adventure rich with danger and excitement, this seminal work of the Chinese literary canon is by turns allegory, satire, and fantasy. Anthony C. Yu’s translation, initially published in 1983, introduced English-speaking audiences to the classic saga in its entirety for the first time. In this new edition of one of the great works of Chinese literature, Yu has made his translations even more accurate and accessible with new explanatory notes, additions to the introduction, and modernized transliterations using the now-standard Hanyu Pinyin romanization system. Volume 4 of 4 “A complete, faithful, and fully delightful translation of China’s most beloved novel.” —The Hudson Review “Does full justice to the adventure, lyricism and buffoonery [yet] is completely sensitive to the spiritual content of the text as well.” —The New York Times Book Review “Beautiful . . . A monumental achievement that takes the reader to the heart of one of the most important narratives in the Chinese tradition. The introduction is a model of erudition and incisive analysis. It is also the most thorough and insightful discussion of the sources and interpretations of The Journey to the West to date. Readers will enjoy the elucidation of allegorical possibilities and scholarly arguments both in the introduction and in the annotations. The adoption of Pinyin romanization will make this much more convenient for classroom use as a teaching edition.” —Waiyee Li, Harvard University “One of the great works of world religious literature.” —Robert Company, Vanderbilt UniversityShow book
Dear Bob and Sue is the story of our (Matt and Karen Smith's) journey to all 59 U.S. National Parks. We wrote the book as a series of emails to our friends, Bob and Sue, in which we share our humorous and quirky observations. It is at times irreverent, unpredictable and sarcastic, all in the spirit of humor. We describe a few of our experiences in each park but do not provide an exhaustive overview of each experience or park. We use these events as the vehicle to deliver insights about our relationship. We did not intend for this book to be a travel guide nor a recommendation for how to visit all 59 of the U.S. National Parks, although many readers have said they've found it to be a useful guide. Rather, it is our story about how we did it.Show book
In this fast-paced mystery by Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie Brown, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her animal friends seek to solve a whodunit rooted in eighteenth-century Virginia-uncovering a shocking secret that refuses to stay buried. At any moment a perfect summer day in Crozet, Virginia-nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains-might turn stormy and tempestuous, as Harry knows too well when a squall suddenly sweeps in. In a blink, Harry's pickup nearly collides with a careening red car that then swerves into a ditch. Harry recognizes the dead driver slumped over the vehicle's steering wheel: Barbara Leader was nurse and confidante to former Virginia governor Sam Holloway. Though Barbara's death is ruled a heart attack, dissenting opinions abound. After all, she was the picture of health, which gives Harry and her four-legged companions pause. A baffling break-in at a local business leads Harry to further suspect that a person with malevolent intent lurks just out of sight: Something evil is afoot. As it happens, Barbara died in the shadow of the local cemetery's statue of the Avenging Angel. Just below that imposing funereal monument lie the remains of one Francisco Selisse, brutally murdered in 1784. Harry's present-day sleuthing draws her back to Virginia's slave-holding past and the hunt for Selisse's killer. Now it's up to Harry and her furry detectives-Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tee Tucker-to expose the bitter truth, even if it means staring into the unforgiving eyes of history and cornering a callous killer poised to pounce.Show book
What is this tiny audiobook? Who is this Koons Crooks?With its privately-printed, anonymously-produced 140-copy first printing, Iterating Grace became the talk of summer 2015 in the tech world. From Buzzfeed to Tumblr to Fusion, people were puzzled and enthralled by the story of Koons Crooks, a young man who took the Twittered musings of the Silicon Valley elite to heart-and ended up on a profoundly unexpected path, leaving behind only the lovingly hand-calligraphed tweets that had meant so much to him. His story struck an immediate chord.There were competing efforts to identify the author of Iterating Grace; blog posts and lengthy comment threads pointed finger at writers all over the country, from Robin Sloan to Susan Orlean to Dave Eggers. Other early theories supposed it was the tip of an elaborate marketing scheme, and soon all would be revealed. But gradually it became clear that it was simply this: a small piece of literary art, perfectly pitched and driven by a Twain-like bemused outrage, by a creator who did not want to be identified, and would not explain anything beyond what the satirical fable said for itself.Disruptive innovators whose tweets are illustrated in Iterating Grace include: Austen Allred, cofounder of Grasswire; Sam Altman, president of Y Combinator; Marc Andreessen, coauthor of Mosaic, cofounder of Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz; Jeff Bussgang, VC at Flybrige Capital; Tony Conrad, cofounder and CEO of about.me; Benedict Evans, VC at Andreessen Horowitz; Brad Feld, VC at Foundry Group-and many more.Show book
The Sunday Times bestseller returns for a sixth book! Alfie and his mischievous kitten George are back for more adventures – this time with a puppy in tow… At Christmas time we all need a friend… Alfie and his kitten, George, have always known that a human is for life and not just for Christmas. So when George learns that one of the residents of Edgar Road has been taken into hospital, he realises it’s up to him to provide some comfort at this difficult time of year. The only problem is that they now have a little puppy in tow – Pickles the Pug, who is convinced he can be a cat if only he sticks with his new found friends. As George tries to do everything he can to make the world – and its humans – happier, Alfie struggles to keep Pickles in check and out of trouble. Because even the best laid plans can be destroyed by a well-meaning – but mischievous – little puppy… Join Alfie, George – and now Pickles – as they come to the rescue of some lonely souls. The perfect read for fans of James Bowen from the Sunday Times bestseller. Rachel Wells, the Sunday Times bestselling author, brings us another heartwarming tale of friendship and family in A Friend Called Alfie. Set in the city during the holidays, this fiction book is filled with humour and the adventures of animals, making it a top pick for the season. For fans of Hiro Arikawa (The Travelling Cat Chronicles), Sheila Norton (The Lonely Hearts Dog Walkers), Lili Hayward (A Midwinter's Tail), Maurizio De Giovanni (The Bottom of Your Heart), and Melissa Daley (Christmas at the Cat Cafe).Show book
How abundant can your relationship life become? Are there any real limits to what you can experience and enjoy with willing partners? In this article I'll share some candid thoughts about creating more depth in open relationships, including what I'm interested in exploring next. I really appreciate this exploration of open relationships that I've been undertaking for the past 4 years. It's been a transformational experience to say the least, not all at once but as a gradual process of unfolding and maturing over time. What was once outside my comfort zone is now firmly within it. This is a beautiful place to be, but of course I'm not the kind of person to stop and settle even when things are good. I love to keep finding new ways to learn, grow, and explore...Show book
