Travels with My Donkey

Author: Tim Moore
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 146687046X
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 340

Book Description
"'A donkey?' blurted my family as one. For a moment it didn't seem they'd ever be able to list all the reasons that made this so entertainingly ludicrous. . . .Yes, I'd never ridden a donkey on a beach or petted one at a city farm, never even pinned a cardboard tail to one's throat after the cake and ice cream....A donkey would be my hairy-coated hair shirt, making my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela a truer test of the will, a trial." With these words, having no knowledge of Spanish and even less about the care and feeding of donkeys, Tim Moore, Britain's indefatigable traveling Everyman, sets out on a pilgrimage to the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela with a donkey named Shinto as his companion. Armed only with the Codex Calixtinus, a twelfth-century handbook to the route, and expert advice on donkey management from Robert Louis Stevenson, Moore and his four-legged companion travel the ancient five-hundred-mile route from St. Jean Pied-de-Port, on the French side of the Pyrenees, to the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela, which houses the remains of Spain's patron saint, St. James. Over sun-scorched highways, precipitous bridges, dirt paths shaded by leafy trees, and vineyards occasionally lashed by downpours, Moore and Shinto pass through some of the oldest towns and cities in northern Spain in colorful company, both past and present. Pilgrims real and imagined have traveled this route throughout the ages, a diverse cast of wayfarers spanning Charlemagne, St. Francis of Assisi, Chaucer's Wife of Bath, and New Age diva, Shirley MacLaine. Moore's present-day companions are no less florid or poignant. Clearly more interested in Shinto than in Moore, their fellow walkers are an assortment of devout Christian pilgrims, New Age spirituality seekers, travelers grieving over a lost love affair, Baby Boomers contemplating the advent of middle age, and John Q. Public just out for a cheap, boozy sun-drenched outdoor holiday. As Moore pushes, pulls, wheedles, cajoles, and threatens Shinto across Spain toward the crypt of St. James in a quest to find the spiritual pilgrim within, the duo overnights in the bedrooms, dormitories, and---for Shinto---adjacent grassy fields of northern Spain's hostels, inns, convents, seminaries, and farmhouses. Shinto, a donkey with a finely honed talent for relieving himself at the most inopportune moments, has better luck in the search for his next meal than Moore does in finding his inner St. Francis. Undaunted, however, Man and Beast finally arrive at the cathedral and a successful end to their journey. For readers who delighted in his earlier books, Travels with My Donkey is the next hilarious chapter in the travels of Tim Moore, a book that keeps the bones of St. James rattling till this day.

Spanish Steps

Author: iMinds
Publisher: iMinds Pty Ltd
ISBN: 1921798211
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 5

Book Description
Learn about the history of the Spanish Steps in Rome with iMinds Travel's insightful fast knowledge series. The Spanish Steps are one of the most visited destinations in the Eternal City of Rome. This graceful staircase sits like the tiers to a great amphitheatre. But rather than a stage to watch, those seated here can watch the drama and intrigue of Italian life from the safe distance of an inconspicuous spectator. People-watching is a great Italian pastime and these steps form the prime place for it in the buzzing capital of Rome. Visitors like to join in on this secretive hobby when arriving in this area of Rome. What is highly interesting about the Spanish Steps is that they are a tourist attraction where visitors simply relax! They are named after the nearby Piazza di Spagna, which translates to 'Spanish Square'. The square lies at the bottom of the steps and is so named as the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican used to be close by. This piazza itself is of interest, and has a famous sculpture of a boat. The fountain is known as 'La Barcaccia', meaning 'Old Boat' and is so-named as it portrays a half-sunken ship whose bows are overflowing with water. It was the last work of Pietro Bernini, who was the father of the famous baroque artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The fountain was completed in about 1627, but the steps behind it stem from a later date. iMinds will tell you the story behind the place with its innovative travel series, transporting the armchair traveller or getting you in the mood for discover on route to your destination. iMinds brings targeted knowledge to your eReading device with short information segments to whet your mental appetite and broaden your mind.

8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back

Author: Esther Gokhale
Publisher: Pendo Press
ISBN: 0979303680
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 248

Book Description
With a fresh approach to a common problem, this self-help guide to overcoming back pain advocates adopting the natural, healthy posture of athletes, young children, and people from traditional societies the world over. Arguing that most of what our culture has taught us about posture is misguided—even unhealthy—and exploring the current epidemic of back pain, many of the commonly cited reasons for the degeneration of spinal discs and the stress on muscles that leads to back pain are examined and debunked. The historical and anthropological roots of poor posture in Western cultures are studied as is the absence of back pain complaints in the cultures of Africa, Asia, South America, and rural Europe. Eight detailed chapters provide illustrated step-by-step instructions for making simple, powerful changes to seated, standing, and sleeping positions. No special equipment or exercise is required, and effects are often immediate.

Complete Spanish Step-by-Step

Author: Barbara Bregstein
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 1259643425
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 622

Book Description
Publisher's Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product. Learn Spanish with the most convenient and effective guide from McGraw-Hill’s bestselling Step-by-Step Series It has been proven that the fastest way to learn any language is through a solid grounding in basic grammar and a mastery of high-frequency vocabulary. This approach provides the confidence and tools necessary to understanding and practicing new languages quickly and easily. Combining the bestselling Easy Spanish Step-by-Step and Advanced Spanish Step-by-Step in one volume, The Complete Spanish Step-by-Step introduces you to the most essential structures, verbs, and vocabulary, then will gradually lead you to a mastery of the Spanish language. Numerous exercises help chart your progress, while engaging readings let you hone your skills in everyday contexts. Unique digital support online and via an app., include: · Flashcards for 3,000 vocabulary items with text-to-speech audio · Audio recordings of almost 2,500 answers · Listening practice with 37 passages spoken by native speakers Whether learning on your own or in a classroom setting, The Complete Spanish Step-by-Step will quickly guide you from novice to near-fluent speaker.

Advanced Spanish Step-by-Step

Author: Barbara Bregstein
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 0071768742
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 305

Book Description
A proven grammar-based approach that gives you a real mastery of the Spanish language Use Advanced Spanish Step by Step's progressive, grammar-based approach to conquer intermediate and advanced Spanish-language topics. This step-by-step approach gives you real confidence and the tools you need to achieve a high Spanish proficiency. You'll get a quick review of the key grammar basics, then move on to more advanced topics that you need for true mastery of the language. With complete coverage of verb tenses beyond the present and past, irregular verbs, sentence structure, parts of speech, and more, this book gives a thorough overview of advanced grammar topics. It also introduces you to hundreds of new vocabulary words that are reinforced with readings that put the new terms in everyday context.

The Architecture of Rome

Author: Ulrich Fürst
Publisher: Edition Axel Menges
ISBN: 9783930698608
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 668

Book Description
Architects and artists have always acknowledged over the centuries that Rome is rightly called the 'eternal city'. Rome is eternal above all because it was always young, always 'in its prime'. Here the buildings that defined the West appeared over more than 2000 years, here the history of European architecture was written. The foundations were laid even in ancient Roman times, when the first attempts were made to design interiors and thus make space open to experience as something physical. And at that time the Roman architects also started to develop building types that are still valid today, thus creating the cornerstone of later Western architecture. In it Rome's primacy remained unbroken -- whether it was with old St Peter's as the first medieval basilica or new St. Peter's as the building in which Bramante and Michelangelo developed the High Renaissance, or with works by Bernini and Borromini whose rich and lucid spatial forms were to shape Baroque as far as Vienna, Bohemia and Lower Franconia, and also with Modern buildings, of which there are many unexpected pearls to be found in Rome. All this is comprehensible only if it is presented historically, i. e. in chronological sequence, and so the guide has not been arranged topographically as usual but chronologically.This means that one is not led in random sequence from a Baroque building to an ancient or a modern one, but the historical development is followed successively. Every epoch is preceded by an introduction that identifies its key features. This produces a continuous, lavishly illustrated history of the architecture of Rome -- and thus at the same time of the whole of the West. Practical handling is guaranteed by an alphabetical index and detailed maps, whose information does not just immediately illustrate the historical picture, but also makes it possible to choose a personal route through history.

Easy Spanish Step-By-Step

Author: Barbara Bregstein
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 0071483179
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 324

Book Description
A proven grammar-based approach that gets you communicating in Spanish with confidence, right away Easy Spanish Step by Step proves that a solid grounding in grammar basics is the key to mastering a second language. Grammatical rules and concepts are clearly explained in order of importance, and more than 300 verbs and key terms are introduced on the basis of frequency. Numerous exercises and engaging readings help learners quickly build their Spanish speaking and comprehension prowess.

Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish

Author: Margarita Madrigal
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0385410956
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 513

Book Description
Use the English you already know to quickly learn the basics of Spanish with this unique, accessible guide featuring original illustrations by Andy Warhol—from one of America’s most prominent language teachers. Read, write, and speak Spanish in only a few short weeks! Even the most reluctant learner will be astonished at the ease and effectiveness of Margarita Madrigal’s unique method of teaching a foreign language. Completely eliminating rote memorization and painfully boring drills, Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish is guaranteed to help you: • Learn to speak, read, and write Spanish quickly and easily • Convert English into Spanish in an instant • Start forming sentences after the very first lesson • Identify thousands of Spanish words within a few weeks of study • Travel to Spanish-speaking countries with confidence and comfort • Develop perfect pronunciation, thanks to a handy pronunciation key With original black-and-white illustration by Andy Warhol, Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish will provide readers with a solid foundation upon which to build their language skills.

A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps

Author: Stephanie Convington
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 163634075X
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Book Description
This guide to the Twelve Steps from Dr. Stephanie S. Covington, a pioneer in the field of women’s issues, addiction, and recovery, preserves the spirit of the Alcoholics Anonymous program with a focus on healing language with women’s needs in mind. Published in 1994, A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps has long been a unique resource that helps women find their own paths in recovery—paths shaped by the way women experience not only addiction and recovery, but also relationships, self, sexuality, spirituality, and everyday life. Now, stories from five new voices expand the perspective of this recovery classic. Over the past thirty years, what it means to identify as a woman in recovery has broadened to include transgender, nonbinary, and other gender-diverse people. This new edition includes updated, inclusive language to be more trauma-sensitive and welcoming to all women. This compilation of diverse voices and wisdom from real people illuminates how women understand the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and offers inspiring stories of how they travel through the Steps and discover what works for them. The book can be used alone or as a companion to AA’s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. By identifying and addressing the special issues that recovery presents for women, this book empowers women to take ownership of their own journeys and to grow and flourish in recovery.

Complete Spanish Step-by-Step, Premium Second Edition

Author: Barbara Bregstein
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 1260463141
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 627

Book Description
Publisher's Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product. Go from beginner’s Spanish to mastery with this single, comprehensive guide! Experts agree: the quickest route to learning a language—from beginner to advanced—is through a solid grounding in grammar and well-crafted exercises that reinforce lessons in vocabulary, essential structures. This premium resource combines two bestsellers, Easy Spanish Step-by-Step and Advanced Spanish Step-by-Step into one easy-to-use guide. Following a series of logically interconnected “steps,” you’ll progress from the basics and essential structures to more advanced concepts that govern how Spanish is spoken and written—including the use of preterit and imperfect tenses, commands, the present and past subjunctive, idiom, and much, much more. Complete Spanish Step-by-Step brings you: • Two bestselling books in one convenient, easy-to-use guide • Unique “building block” approach to mastering essential grammar, verbs, and vocabulary • Tools to help you begin speaking Spanish almost immediately • Audio recordings of answers to 150 exercises via the exclusive McGraw-Hill Language Lab app • Exercises to help test and measure your progress, and more