Inside Out & Back Again


Book Description

Moving to America turns H&à's life inside out. For all the 10 years of her life, H&à has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by, and the beauty of her very own papaya tree. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. H&à and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, H&à discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape, and the strength of her very own family. This is the moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing as she journeys from one country to another, one life to the next.




Discovering the Brain


Book Description

The brain ... There is no other part of the human anatomy that is so intriguing. How does it develop and function and why does it sometimes, tragically, degenerate? The answers are complex. In Discovering the Brain, science writer Sandra Ackerman cuts through the complexity to bring this vital topic to the public. The 1990s were declared the "Decade of the Brain" by former President Bush, and the neuroscience community responded with a host of new investigations and conferences. Discovering the Brain is based on the Institute of Medicine conference, Decade of the Brain: Frontiers in Neuroscience and Brain Research. Discovering the Brain is a "field guide" to the brainâ€"an easy-to-read discussion of the brain's physical structure and where functions such as language and music appreciation lie. Ackerman examines: How electrical and chemical signals are conveyed in the brain. The mechanisms by which we see, hear, think, and pay attentionâ€"and how a "gut feeling" actually originates in the brain. Learning and memory retention, including parallels to computer memory and what they might tell us about our own mental capacity. Development of the brain throughout the life span, with a look at the aging brain. Ackerman provides an enlightening chapter on the connection between the brain's physical condition and various mental disorders and notes what progress can realistically be made toward the prevention and treatment of stroke and other ailments. Finally, she explores the potential for major advances during the "Decade of the Brain," with a look at medical imaging techniquesâ€"what various technologies can and cannot tell usâ€"and how the public and private sectors can contribute to continued advances in neuroscience. This highly readable volume will provide the public and policymakersâ€"and many scientists as wellâ€"with a helpful guide to understanding the many discoveries that are sure to be announced throughout the "Decade of the Brain."




Back Again


Book Description




With Head and Heart


Book Description

“One of the great religious leaders of [the twentieth] century” tells his story of growing up under segregation and finding his calling as a minister (Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Howard Thurman was a singular man—a minister, philosopher, and educator whose vitality and vision touched the lives of countless people of all races, faiths, and cultures. In his moving autobiography, Dr. Thurman tells of his lonely years growing up in a segregated town, where the nurturing black community and a profound interest in nature provided his deepest solace. That same young man would go on to become one of the great spiritual leaders of our time. Over the course of his extraordinary career, Thurman served as a dean of Rankin Chapel and professor of theology at Howard University; minister of the interdenominational Fellowship Church in San Francisco, of which he was a cofounder; dean of Marsh Chapel of Boston University; and honorary canon of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York. He was deeply engaged in work with the Howard Thurman Educational Trust until his death in 1981. This is Thurman’s story in his own inspiring words. “Inspiring . . . a tale of trial and triumph. It should be read by everyone.” —Vernon Jordan, president of the National Urban League “Now we can peer with delight into the soul of this master and grasp some of the sense of religious genius which has been the source of all that blessed teaching.” —Rabbi Joseph B. Glaser, former executive vice president, Central Conference of American Rabbis “The reader’s admiration for this educator and spiritual healer grows naturally as the story unfolds.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Thurman leads his readers . . . with an air of gracious ease and imperturbable dignity.” —Kirkus Reviews







From Your Head to Your Heart


Book Description

Make the Connection. The change you long for is just 18 inches away! Have you ever declared in frustration that your head knows what to do but your heart won't agree? The truth is, although the head and heart are only eighteen inches from each other, most of us spend our entire lives trying to make a genuine connection between what we profess to believe in our heads and what we actually believe in our hearts. We believe that God loves us, but our hearts still cling to lies from our past—lies from society, our families and friends, and the enemy of our souls. Don't allow these voices to keep you trapped any longer. “From Your Head to Your Heart” exposes how your negative thought patterns can keep you from the future God wants for you and reveals the secrets to achieve the long-term transformation desired by many, yet missed by most. With powerful examples from the Bible and redeeming stories from the author's own testimony involving abandonment, loneliness, rejection, and drug use, this book will give you the keys to access the power in God's Word. Begin the renewing journey from your head to your heart today.Forward written by Jim Cymbala with Endorsements from Bill Hybels, Chris Hodges, Nancy Alcorn and many more.“The heart and soul of the Christian life is learning to hear God's voice and then developing the courage to do what he asks us to do. “From Your Head to Your Heart” must be added to your life and library. If leaders aren't leading with their heads and hearts, the local church will never reach its full redemptive potential. Well done Maria Durso! This book will be a lifeline for so many people.” —Bill Hybels, Founding and Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church“With honesty, wisdom, and encouragement, Maria Durso helps readers draw closer to God as they seek to know him and not simple knot about Him. From Your Head to Your Heart offers biblical wisdom and practical suggestions for connecting your mind and your heart with your faith. I recommend it for anyone wanting to experience more of God's power in their lives.” —Chris Hodges, Pastor of Church of the Highlands“In my travels over the years in ministry I have seen many people who have a “head relationship” “with the Lord, but not a close personal “heart relationship” with Him. From Your Head to Your Heart explores the depths of having an intimate walk with Jesus that will transform every part of your life and bring about a whole new level of victory and freedom!” —Nancy Alcorn, Founder and President of Mercy Ministries




Bouncing Back


Book Description

While resilience is innate in the brain, our capacity for it can be impaired by our conditioning. Unhelpful patterns of response are learned over time and can become fixed in our neural circuitry. What neuroscience now shows is that what previously seemed hardwired can be rewired.




The Book of the Heart


Book Description

In today's increasingly electronic world, we say our personality traits are "hard-wired" and we "replay" our memories. But we use a different metaphor when we speak of someone "reading" another's mind or a desire to "turn over a new leaf"—these phrases refer to the "book of the self," an idea that dates from the beginnings of Western culture. Eric Jager traces the history and psychology of the self-as-text concept from antiquity to the modern day. He focuses especially on the Middle Ages, when the metaphor of a "book of the heart" modeled on the manuscript codex attained its most vivid expressions in literature and art. For instance, medieval saints' legends tell of martyrs whose hearts recorded divine inscriptions; lyrics and romances feature lovers whose hearts are inscribed with their passion; paintings depict hearts as books; and medieval scribes even produced manuscript codices shaped like hearts. "The Book of the Heart provides a fresh perspective on the influence of the book as artifact on our language and culture. Reading this book broadens our appreciation of the relationship between things and ideas."—Henry Petroski, author of The Book on the Bookshelf




Head and Heart


Book Description

Tallon (philosophy, Marquette U.) proposes a theory of a triune consciousness formed by the heart and mind, and composed of an equal partnership of reason, will, and affection. He defines affection in terms of intentionality, and argues that in its manifestations of passion, emotion, and mood, it holds a place equal to cognition and volition in human consciousness. Paper edition (unseen), $19.95. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR




To Heaven and Back


Book Description

A doctor's account of her own experience of death, heaven and return to life with a new realization of her purpose on earth. Dr Mary Neal, an orthopaedic surgeon, was on a kayaking holiday in Chile. Sceptical of near death experiences, she was to have her life transformed when her kayak became wedged in rocks at the bottom of a waterfall and was underwater for so long that her heart stopped.To Heaven And Back is Mary's faith-enriching story of her spiritual journey, her first-hand experience of heaven and its continuing life-enhancing effects.