A Chip Of The Old Block

Max is used to being called Stupid. And he is used to everyone being scared of him. On account of his size and looking like his dad. Kevin is used to being called Dwarf. And he is used to everyone laughing at him. On account of his size and being some cripple kid. But greatness comes in all sizes, and together Max and Kevin become Freak The Mighty and walk high above the world. An inspiring, heartbreaking, multi-award winning international bestseller.

Written in a funny, charming, and conversational style, Word Origins is the first book to offer a thorough investigation of the history and the science of etymology, making this little-known field accessible to everyone interested in the history of words. Anatoly Liberman, an internationally acclaimed etymologist, takes the reader by the hand and explains the many ways that English words can be made, and the many ways in which etymologists try to unearth the origins of words. Every chapter is packed with dozens of examples of proven word histories, used to illustrate the correct ways to trace the origins of words as well as some of the egregiously bad ways to trace them. He not only tells the known origins of hundreds of words, but also shows how their origins were determined. And along the way, the reader is treated to a wealth of fascinating word facts. Did they once have bells in a belfry? No, the original meaning of belfry was siege tower. Are the words isle and island, raven and ravenous, or pan and pantry related etymologically? No, though they look strikingly similar, these words came to English via different routes. Partly a history, partly a how-to, and completely entertaining, Word Origins invites readers behind the scenes to watch an etymologist at work.

hortly after his father dies, Nick Castle discovers what seems to be a draft of the novel his father had always hoped to write. But a clue at the end causes Nick to fear that this story of a serious federal crime and escape from the U.S. may not be fiction at all. Nick sets out to find out the truth about his father's past, and, in the process, he learns more than he ever expected-about his father and about himself. The Old Block appeals to anyone who understands the coming of age process, who appreciates the journey toward independence, enjoys touches of humor, and remembers the feelings of a first-love romance. Nick Castle is as close to his father as any father and son could be. Nick patterns his life, his personality, and his world view after Jim Castle. He is truly a "chip off the old block" and he's extremely proud of it. Nick gets his whole identity from his dad, and when Jim dies, in 2012, Nick is devastated. Jim Castle has left behind a manuscript for Nick's eyes only. It is the story of young Braden Delaney, who gets caught up in the student anti-war protests of 1970 and who commits a violent act of rebellion that destroys government property--and ends in the death of an innocent victim. Braden escapes the U.S. to avoid government agents and spends the next 15 years of his life on the run in Central America. Finally, he returns to the States with a new name and identity. That new identity is a clue that leads Nick to fear that Jim Castle and Braden Delaney are in fact the same person. His suspicion sends Nick on an emotional quest to prove his dad is not the protagonist of his own story. He retraces the steps of Braden Delaney, to find facts that will prove his fear unwarranted. If his father is not the man he thought he was, where does that leave Nick? Along the way, he meets Sophie Cole and falls truly in love for the first time in his life. Nick's quest also helps him uncover his own unique identity and opens the door for him to truly become his own man.

By the author of Rosemary‘s Baby, a horrifying journey into a future only Ira Levin could imagine. Considered one of the great dystopian novels—alongside Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World—Ira Levin's frightening glimpse into the future continues to fascinate readers even forty years after publication. The story is set in a seemingly perfect global society. Uniformity is the defining feature; there is only one language and all ethnic groups have been eugenically merged into one race called “The Family.“ The world is ruled by a central computer called UniComp that has been programmed to keep every single human on the surface of the earth in check. People are continually drugged by means of regular injections so that they can never realize their potential as human beings, but will remain satisfied and cooperative. They are told where to live, when to eat, whom to marry, when to reproduce. even the basic facts of nature are subject to the UniComp's will—men do not grow facial hair, women do not develop breasts, and it only rains at night. With a vision as frightening as any in the history of the science fiction genre, This Perfect Day is one of Ira Levin's most haunting novels.

This compilation of American slang contains more than 5,000 common slang terms with easy-to-understand definitions and sample sentences. The book's unique classification of slang terms under key words makes it easy to search for and discover any term. By organising terms this way, slang terms that share a common key word can be classified together for easy reference. For example, under the key word 'Chip,' the following terms are alphabetically listed: bargaining chip, blue chip, cash in one's chips, chip in, chip off the old block, chip on one's shoulder, in the chips, let the chips fall where they may, and when the chips are down. Slang terms with more than one key word are also cross-referenced, and sample sentences lend meaning to the slang terms by showing their applications in writing and in conversation.