When Hoopoes Go To Heaven

Author: Gaile Parkin
Publisher: Atlantic Books
ISBN: 0857894102
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 293

Book Description
The irresistible story of Benedict Tungazara, a 10-year-old boy in Swaziland who loves beautiful birds, his mother's cakes, and making people happy Ten-year-old Benedict is feeling happy. His family's new home in Swaziland has the most beautiful garden in the whole entire world, teeming with insects, frogs, and his favorite cinnamon-coloured birds. Here, crouched in the cool shade of the lucky-bean tree, it's easy to forget the loneliness that comes from his siblings playing without him and easy to stop himself from fretting about how to fix his Mama's failing cake-baking business. Of course, there are many things in Africa that cannot be put right by a boy who isn't yet big. But in Benedict's wonder-filled world, even the ugliest situation has a certain magic. Warm, funny, and brimming with life, this novel paints a fresh and compelling picture of life in Swaziland that will capture readers' imaginations and restore their faith in humanity.

Say You're One of Them

Author: Uwem Akpan
Publisher: Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316032522
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 212

Book Description
An Oprah's Book Club selection: this "electrifying" book (Washington Post) pays tribute to the wisdom and resilience of children even in the face of the most agonizing circumstances. Uwem Akpan's stunning stories humanize the perils of poverty and violence so piercingly that few readers will feel they've ever encountered Africa so immediately. The eight-year-old narrator of "An Ex-Mas Feast" needs only enough money to buy books and pay fees in order to attend school. Even when his twelve-year-old sister takes to the streets to raise these meager funds, his dream can't be granted. Food comes first. His family lives in a street shanty in Nairobi, Kenya, but their way of both loving and taking advantage of each other strikes a universal chord. In the second of his stories published in a New Yorker special fiction issue, Akpan takes us far beyond what we thought we knew about the tribal conflict in Rwanda. The story is told by a young girl, who, with her little brother, witnesses the worst possible scenario between parents. They are asked to do the previously unimaginable in order to protect their children. This singular collection will also take the reader inside Nigeria, Benin, and Ethiopia, revealing in beautiful prose the harsh consequences for children of life in Africa. Akpan's voice is a literary miracle, rendering lives of almost unimaginable deprivation and terror into stories that are nothing short of transcendent. One of the best books of the year: Wall Street Journal, People, Bloomberg News, Christian Science Monitor, Washington Post Book World, and Entertainment Weekly

When the Heart Waits

Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061998141
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 169

Book Description
The bestselling author's inspiring autobiographical account of personal pain, spiritual awakening, and divine grace. "Inspiring. Sue Monk Kidd is a direct literary descendant of Carson McCullers."—Baltimore Sun "Grounded in personal experience and bolstered with classic spiritual disciplines and Scripture, this book offers an alternative to fast-fix spirituality."—Bookstore Journal Blending her own experiences with an intimate grasp of spirituality, Sue Monk Kidd relates the passionate and moving tale of her spiritual crisis, when life seemed to have lost meaning and her longing for a hasty escape from the pain yielded to a discipline of "active waiting." Full of wisdom, poise, and grace, Kidd’s words will encourage us along our spiritual journey, toward becoming who we truly are.

Girls Who Travel

Author: Nicole Trilivas
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698196651
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 338

Book Description
A hilarious, deftly written debut novel about a woman whose wanderlust is about to show her that sometimes you don’t have to travel very far to become the person you want to be… There are many reasons women shouldn’t travel alone. But as foul-mouthed, sweet-toothed Kika Shores knows, there are many more reasons why they should. After all, most women want a lot more out of life than just having fun. Kika, for one, wants to experience the world. But ever since she returned from her yearlong backpacking tour, she’s been steeped in misery, battling rush hour with all the other suits. Getting back on the road is all she wants. So when she’s offered a nanny job in London – the land of Cadbury Cream Eggs – she’s happy at the prospect of going back overseas and getting paid for it. But as she’s about to discover, the most exhilarating adventures can happen when you stay in one place… Wise, witty, and hilarious, Girls Who Travel is an unforgettable novel about the highs and lows of getting what you want—and how it’s the things you least expect that can change your life.

A Thousand Hills to Heaven

Author: Josh Ruxin
Publisher: Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316232890
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 213

Book Description
One couple's inspiring memoir of healing a Rwandan village, raising a family near the old killing fields, and building a restaurant named Heaven. Newlyweds Josh and Alissa were at a party and received a challenge that shook them to the core: do you think you can really make a difference? Especially in a place like Rwanda, where the scars of genocide linger and poverty is rampant? While Josh worked hard bringing food and health care to the country's rural villages, Alissa was determined to put their foodie expertise to work. The couple opened Heaven, a gourmet restaurant overlooking Kigali, which became an instant success. Remarkably, they found that between helping youth marry their own local ingredients with gourmet recipes (and mix up "the best guacamole in Africa") and teaching them how to help themselves, they created much-needed jobs while showing that genocide's survivors really could work together. While first a memoir of love, adventure, and family, A Thousand Hills to Heaven also provides a remarkable view of how, through health, jobs, and economic growth, our foreign aid programs can be quickly remodeled and work to end poverty worldwide.

Icing on the Cake

Author: Tessa Huff
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1683355067
Category : Cooking
Languages : en
Pages : 485

Book Description
“From her rainbow no-bake cheesecake to a blueberry galaxy cake, these eye-catching desserts promise to brighten spirits (and plates) everywhere.” —Food Network As a follow-up to Layered, Tessa Huff returns with Icing on the Cake to dive deeper into dessert decoration and the presentation of layer cakes and other showstopping treats. Providing the confidence home bakers need to get creative, Icing on the Cake guides readers from cake pan to presentation to dessert plate. Organized by style, each dessert showcases a different decorative element, artistic pastry technique, or presentation idea. With hundreds of beautiful photos, including lots of step-by-steps, Icing on the Cake is a richly illustrated guide for creating delicious, beautiful desserts that will be the grand finale of any gathering. “Icing on the Cake delivers on every level—delicious recipes, gorgeously styled treats, and easy-to-follow instructions. Tessa is a true teacher, carefully walking readers through her process while inviting them to explore their own creativity. One flip through this book and you’ll be firing up the oven and breaking out the piping tips!”—Erin Gardner, author of Procrastibaking “Tessa’s cakes strike a beautiful balance between timeless and fresh, creating new, stunning classics for cake decorators of all levels. This book bursts with gorgeous color, delicious recipes, and tons of inspiration.” —Molly Yeh, author of Molly on the Range “There’s no arguing that Tessa is the cake decorating queen! Through beautiful styling, easy-to-understand direction, helpful kitchen tips, and deliciously creative recipes, Tessa takes the intimidation out of fancy decorative desserts.” —Sally McKenney, author of Sally’s Baking Addiction

Your Keys, Our Home

Author: Debbie and Michael Campbell
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781539014645
Category : Bed and breakfast accommodations
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
If you've ever dreamed of casting off your worldly possessions and traveling to your heart's content, this story about two intrepid seniors will inspire you no matter your age. Michael and Debbie Campbell felt they had one more adventure in them before considering retirement in the traditional sense, so they filled two rolling duffel bags with life's essentials (including their own pillows) and hit the road. Three years later, having sold their home in Seattle, their "Senior Nomad" lifestyle has no end in sight. Ride along as they share tales of living full-time in Airbnbs in over 50 countries and pay tribute to the many hosts who not only helped them live daily life, but also offered unique opportunities to experience their cities. From the barber's chair in Dublin and the dentist's chair in Split, to a wild motorcycle ride in Athens, a peek behind the Soviet Curtain in Transnistria, and the demise of a chicken for dinner in Marrakech, hosts made the Campbell's dream of adventure come true. Discover how Debbie and Michael find their next Airbnb, how they get there, and the many ways they enjoy their new city just as the locals do. Learn their tips and tricks for using Airbnb and how they get the most out of each stay, all while spending little more than they would have spent settled into their rocking chairs in Seattle.

Baking Cakes in Kigali

Author: Gaile Parkin
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0440338794
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 322

Book Description
“All the sun and magic of Africa are baked into Gaile Parkin’s debut novel. . . . We peek into a warm and practical community as colorful as [the heroine’s] dazzling confections.”—The Christian Science Monitor This soaring novel introduces us to Angel Tungaraza: mother, cake baker, pillar of her community, keeper of secrets big and small. Angel’s kitchen is an oasis in the heart of Rwanda, where visitors stop to order cakes but end up sharing their stories, transforming their lives, leaving with new hope. In this vibrant, powerful setting, unexpected things are beginning to happen: A most unusual wedding is planned, a heartbreaking mystery involving Angel’s own family unravels, and extraordinary connections are made—as a chain of events unfolds that will change Angel’s life and the lives of those around her in the most astonishing ways. BONUS: This edition contains a Baking Cakes in Kigali discussion guide. Praise for Baking Cakes in Kigali “Everyone needs a neighbor like Angel Tungaraza . . . whose warmth and coolheaded cleverness might remind some readers of Precious Ramotswe from the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.”—Entertainment Weekly “Remarkable . . . a powerful, thought-provoking work . . . filled with heartbreak but also with hope.”—Fort Worth Star-Telegram “Sweet and satisfying . . . gently draws readers into the daily rhythms of African life . . . Compassion and wisdom light up each page.”—Ventura County Star “Will leave you feeling well satisfied.”—O: The Oprah Magazine (South Africa)

The Pregnant Widow

Author: Martin Amis
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307593576
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 385

Book Description
The year is 1970, and the youth of Europe are in the chaotic, ecstatic throes of the sexual revolution. Though blindly dedicated to the cause, its nubile foot soldiers have yet to realize this disturbing truth: that between the death of one social order and the birth of another, there exists a state of terrifying purgatory—or, as Alexander Herzen put it, a pregnant widow. Keith Nearing is stuck in an exquisite limbo. Twenty years old and on vacation from college, Keith and an assortment of his peers are spending the long, hot summer in a castle in Italy. The tragicomedy of manners that ensues will have an indelible effect on all its participants, and we witness, too, how it shapes Keith’s subsequent love life for decades to come. Bitingly funny, full of wit and pathos, The Pregnant Widow is a trenchant portrait of young lives being carried away on a sea of change.

The Cruellest Journey

Author: Kira Salak
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0553816292
Category : Africa
Languages : en
Pages : 298

Book Description
In retracing explorer Mungo Park's fatal journey down West Africa's Niger River, author and adventuress Salak became the first person to travel alone from Mali's Old Segou to Timbuktu, the legendary "doorway to the end of the world." This is her story.