Manny and John


Book Description

Manny and John is a fun-filled, insightful look into the boyhood of John the Baptist, and his younger cousin, Emmanuel, or Manny for short. Manny is better known by his adult title, Jesus Christ - the Messiah. Honing in on a short period in time after Mannys presentation at the temple, a well-known story found in the book of Luke, the author imagines what boys the age of 13 would do in Palestine. The most likely answer is, what boys have been doing for ages. They wrestled, climbed trees, threw rocks, dared each other to eat bugs, and generally had a grand old time while making a nuisance of themselves to adults and girls. The story begins as the boys are part of a caravan heading to Nazareth from Jerusalem. Boys will be boys, and the author (being one himself) is capable of providing what is probably a fairly accurate description of conversations they might have had. After arriving in Nazareth, they work with Joseph in his carpenters shop, play with other boys, and then have great adventures. The crux of the story is the discovery of a cave, subsequent capture by soldiers, dealings with zealots and the impact of all of these on the town of Nazareth. The author has woven events and people from the ministry of Jesus as an adult into the story, and has hoped to portray some of the thoughts the young savior might have had. It is an honest story in addition to adventures and a sense of fun, there is sorrow, regret and pain. The reader will find that the author has managed to truly transport one from the here and now. Any book that is capable of drawing the reader in, making the reader a part of the story is worth reading. This book does so on an emotional and spiritual level. One of the most difficult parts to tackle was based on the divinity of Jesus. As stated in the Bible, He was wholly human, and wholly divine. As an adult, His ministry was comprised of miracles, prophecy and wisdom unlike any other. Yet, how did this relate to His boyhood? As a boy, did He perform miracles? Did He heal members of His family or neighbors of their illnesses? Was He able to just be a good son to His earthly father? The author sought not to answer some of these types of questions, but to give an insight into how they might have been answered. One of the questions that arose was, how does an innocent mistake fit in? Is that a sin? Since Jesus was without sin as an adult, He must have been without sin as a boy. But boys are so full of energy, of living life to the fullest that all boys make mistakes from time to time. Could Jesus have, in His humanity, made a mistake that was tantamount to a sin, yet still remain sinless? Again, the author wrote honestly about boys, while at the same time maintaining the reverence he feels for his Savior. Hollywood has normally portrayed Jesus as a 6-foot, blue-eyed and with a British accent. It is easy to believe the divinity of Christ in that portrayal. The reality is that He was probably very middle-Eastern looking dark hair, eyes and skin. Again, seeking to be as realistic as possible in the portrayal of Jesus as a boy, the author researched the times and societies for authenticity of the story. The habits and mores of the citizens of Nazareth are documented with a true accuracy. As a historical novel, this book relates a first-class tale in a well-written and well-received fashion. The author conceived of the idea while deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in the spring of 2003. As a career Marine, his first focus was mission accomplishment for himself and his unit. But the impact of living in a middle-eastern desert, much the same way as Moses or David might have lived, lead to the first draft of this story. He was able to study and observe the culture of the nomadic desert people. Tents are still very much in use as homes; camels and horses are the means of transportatio




Manny Man Does the History of Ireland


Book Description

YouTube sensation John D. Ruddy brings history to life with clarity and hilarity in videos that have amassed millions of views around the world. Here, his viral online hit, Manny Man, turns Ireland's tumultuous millennia of history into a fun and easy-to-understand story. Why did the Celts love stealing cows? What was the Norman Invasion, and were they all called Norman? From the Ice Age up to the present day, through the Vikings and Tudors, British rule and the fight for independence, he covers it all - with his tongue in his cheek, of course. The succinct, lively text is complemented by comic, colorful illustrations. So if you want a quick fix of Irish history with lots of fun along the way, then Manny Man is your only man.




Assassin's Trap


Book Description

MI-5 agent John Brock is back in this explosive thriller that pits him against a ruthless enemy from the past. Using his cunning, expertise, and international contacts, Brock, head of counterterrorism for Great Britain's secret service, uncovers a trail of industrial espionage that leads from Beijing to Mumbai and, finally, to an international summit in Vancouver. But Brock's pursuit of the nations' enemies is disrupted by a threat to his own life-and his wife's. Stalked by danger, Brock is ruthlessly pursued across the globe by a band of assassins hired by an unknown adversary. Someone on his long list of enemies wants him dead; Brock seeks clues to his nemesis in India, Norway, and even South Korea. Brock risks everything to protect his beloved wife from the demons of his past. But when she falls victim to his enemy, will Brock be able to save her or will the assassin's trap end it all? From the dark streets of London to the backwater villages of South Korea, Assassin's Trap delivers a fast-paced, gripping story of one man's fight to protect the woman he loves.




House Documents


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Flavor and Soul


Book Description

In the United States, African American and Italian cultures have been intertwined for more than a hundred years. From as early as nineteenth-century African American opera star Thomas Bowers—“The Colored Mario”—all the way to hip-hop entrepreneur Puff Daddy dubbing himself “the Black Sinatra,” the affinity between black and Italian cultures runs deep and wide. Once you start looking, you’ll find these connections everywhere. Sinatra croons bel canto over the limousine swing of the Count Basie band. Snoop Dogg deftly tosses off the line “I’m Lucky Luciano ’bout to sing soprano.” Like the Brooklyn pizzeria and candy store in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing and Jungle Fever, or the basketball sidelines where Italian American coaches Rick Pitino and John Calipari mix it up with their African American players, black/Italian connections are a thing to behold—and to investigate. In Flavor and Soul, John Gennari spotlights this affinity, calling it “the edge”—now smooth, sometimes serrated—between Italian American and African American culture. He argues that the edge is a space of mutual emulation and suspicion, a joyous cultural meeting sometimes darkened by violent collision. Through studies of music and sound, film and media, sports and foodways, Gennari shows how an Afro-Italian sensibility has nourished and vitalized American culture writ large, even as Italian Americans and African Americans have fought each other for urban space, recognition of overlapping histories of suffering and exclusion, and political and personal rispetto. Thus, Flavor and Soul is a cultural contact zone—a piazza where people express deep feelings of joy and pleasure, wariness and distrust, amity and enmity. And it is only at such cultural edges, Gennari argues, that America can come to truly understand its racial and ethnic dynamics.







House Documents


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Rocking The Boat


Book Description

1963 and Paul Shaw, suburban dreamer, barely out of his teens, is ready to make the most of those flower-powered days of innocence and decadence as the black-and-white post-war world of Britain blooms into glorious psychedelic colour.Soundtrack Baby! Says Liam, the Radio Pirate Chief, when he meets Paul. His plan for 50 kilowatts of offshore pop power 24/7 will blow every mind in the nation, and blow the lid off pressure-cooker Britain. All it needs is cash, and that's where Paul comes in, with his rich dad.From Haslemere to the High Seas Paul Shaw is drawn inexorably from suburbia into committing a historic act at which governments trembled, politicians railed, the people cheered, gunboats were dispatched, and 38 million Britons tuned in and turned on. Falling in love en route, he finally gropes his way to the happy ending.The thinly veiled story of Radio Caroline is a sidesplitting comic novel about how against all the odds three total goofers pulled it off.




The Messenger


Book Description

A Delightful Parable of Unexpected EncountersIn the Tradition of The Quilt & The GiftAriel had dreamed about this chance, but she never thought it would come so soon. Only halfway through her training came the surprise assignment: she was to be sent as an undercover messenger with a mission of hope to the city of Philadelphia. Expecting the City of Brother Love, what she discovers is a harsh urban landscape where crime, poverty, and the extent of human indifference is overwhelming.When a street thief pilfers her secret pass card, Ariel loses the access she needs to get back home. To make matters worse, she fears that the thief might use her card to gain unauthorized entry. However, the tables are turned when he finds that his brief encounter with Ariel throws a disturbing light into the depths of his heart.When the two finally meet again, both are in for a big surprise.




The International Harvester Company


Book Description

Ancient farmers used draft animals for plowing but the heavy work of harvesting fell to the humans, using sickle and scythe. Change came in the mid-19th century when Cyrus Hall McCormick built the mechanical harvester. Though the McCormicks used their wealth to establish art collections and universities, battle disease, and develop birth control, members of the family faced constant scrutiny and scandal. This book recounts their story as well as the history of the International Harvester Company (IHC)--a merger of the McCormick and Deering companies and the world's leader in agricultural machinery in the 1900s.




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