Giant Despair Meets Hopeful


Book Description

"A burgeoning literature for young-adult readers exists. Yet much of it depicts a despairing, disillusioned world, telling tales of teenagers suffering from family breakdown, violence, peer pressure, sexual abuse, and even suicide. But such bleakness need not translate into depression and fear for vulnerable adolescents. When we look at YA fiction form another perspective, what may emerge is a literature of great power an authenticity. Julia Kristeva argues that so long as human beings have love, we have hope. Taking up this theme, Martha Westwater reads six YA novelists--Aidan Chambers, Robert Cormier, Kevin Major, Jan Mark, Katherine Paterson, and Patricia Wrightson--through Kristevan theory to find a glimmer of hope amidst our cultural crises. A welcome addition to the undeservedly sparse literature on Young Adult fiction."--Publisher's description.




Rewriting American Identity in the Fiction and Memoirs of Isabel Allende


Book Description

Moving away from territorially-bound narratives toward a more kinetic conceptualization of identity, this book represents the first analysis of the politics of American identity within the fiction and memoirs of Isabel Allende. Craig offers a radical transformation of societal frameworks through revised notions of place, temporality, and space.




The Pilgrim's Progress Study Guide


Book Description

The most trusted study guide to learning The Pilgrim’s Progress! Understanding the The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan can be difficult and confusing at times. Not so with The Pilgrim’s Progress Study Guide! This comprehensive Bible study workbook will guide you through Bunyan’s masterful use of metaphors helping you better understand key concepts, supporting Bible passages, and the relevance to our world today. The story chronicles the epic adventure of a man named Christian who leaves his home in the City of Destruction and begins a life-long quest to the Celestial City. Set against the backdrop of a hazardous journey, this powerful drama unfolds as Christian’s adventures lead him into fascinating lands and encounters with interesting people who either help or hinder his progress along a narrow way. With a gallery of memorable characters and visits to colorful places, Bunyan’s allegorical narrative describes one man's extraordinary adventure on his journey to faith. Designed to be used alongside The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Readable Modern-Day Version of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, each chapter, sub section, and study question examines Bunyan’s allegorical narrative to tell his powerful presentation of what it means to follow the narrow way of Christian salvation. This complete Bible study experience is perfect for book clubs, church groups, and independent study. Detailed character sketches and an easy-to-read book summary provide deep insights into each character and place in the book. To help with those more difficult discussion questions, a complete Answer Guide and Scripture Reference Guide are available for free online. The Pilgrim’s Progress Study Guide includes: - Twelve sessions of study - Comprehensive Bible study workbook with studies for each week - Complete character sketches and summaries to go deeper - Bible study questions that are ideal for group discussion - Answer Guide for all questions and Scripture Reference Guide available for free online - Perfect for book clubs, small groups, or individual Bible study - Available in print or e-book formats Explore the allegories, meanings, and symbols behind this timeless classic that has challenged and encouraged believers for centuries. There's no better tool for making that happen than with The Pilgrim’s Progress Study Guide! Frequently Asked Questions: What book version should I use with the study? Although, there are many versions of this Bunyan classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Readable Modern-Day Version of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress is the only book that is made specifically for this study. Each chapter, sub section, and study question are designed to be used in conjunction with each other. Other books will feel drastically different and not match up with the study questions and format of this study. How long is the study? The study is 12 weeks but can easily be reformatted based on your schedule. Does each person in the study need their own book? Yes. It’s most helpful for learning purposes if each person has their own study guide. However, couples might find it convenient to share the actual book. Is there much homework? The only homework is to read one chapter each week and answer corresponding discussion questions prior to class. Can anyone lead the study? Absolutely! The study is created in a discussion format allowing leaders to simply guide participants through each study question at weekly meetings. Can I get access to the answers for each discussion question? Yes. The answers for each discussion question are available for free online!




Victorian Children’s Literature


Book Description

This book reveals how the period’s transforming identities affected by social, economic, religious, and national energies offers rich opportunities in which to analyze the relationship between identity and transformation. At the heart of this study is this question: what is the relationship between Victorian children’s literature, its readers, and their psychic development? Ruth Y. Jenkins uses Julia Kristeva’s theory of abjection to uncover the presence of cultural anxieties and social tensions in works by Kingsley, MacDonald, Carroll, Stevenson, Burnett, Ballantyne, Nesbit, Tucker, Sewell, and Rossetti.




The Physiology of Hope


Book Description

Advances in medical science have led to longer, more productive lives. Deadly diseases that once ravaged entire populations have largely disappeared from the earth. There seems to be no end to the possibilities of modern medicine. Yet medicine offers only a limited hope of longer life; it cannot offer the hope of eternal life. It holds out the hope of less pain and suffering, but it cannot eliminate either. The mortality rate for humanity is still 100 percent. At some point we all must face death. Is there hope beyond what our medical science offers? This timely book by a healthcare professional and pastor presents a clear biblical perspective on hope in the face of death. The Physiology of Hope explains what hope is, where it comes from, and how it functions, and it looks not just at how people persevere in the face of death; it looks at how people who persevere live. And, above all, The Physiology of Hope points us to the God of all hope. Christopher W. Bogosh, RN, B.Th. is the Director of Clinical Services and Education for Christian Community Care, an alternative end of life care, advocacy, and educational ministry. Rev. Bogosh has written several booklets on end of life issues and has published an article for the Puritan Reformed Journal called: "Pastoral Counseling in the Twenty-first Century for Illness, Disease, and Death." Chris, his wife Robin, and son Noah reside in Yulee, Florida.




The Pilgrim's Progress


Book Description




The Outside Child, In and Out of the Book


Book Description

Christine Wilkie-Stibbs juxtaposes the narratives of literary and actual "outsider" children to explore how Western culture has imagined, defined, and dealt with various marginalized children, whether orphans, homeless, refugees, or victims of abuse.




Freud in Oz


Book Description

Shows how the acceptance of psychoanalysis owes a notable debt to the rise of “kid lit”