A Night On Buddy S Bench

An adult picture book story exploring the end of life's questions.

Joe “Buddy” Schmitz was born Deaf in Nebraska to a farming family, the youngest of four children. (His brother and two sisters are all hearing.) He attended the Nebraska School for the Deaf and, later, Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. His native language is American Sign Language (ASL); he learned to read and write English at school. This book is half a memoir of growing up in rural Nebraska in the 1940s and half a mystery involving himself and three of his friends, set in that time period. The mystery is eventually solved by young Buddy and his three hearing friends, after many adventures, some of which are true (for instance, climbing the church bell tower). This book is appropriate for all ages; the mystery is about a death, there is no violence involved. The four children solve the mystery by using their own good sense and desire to do the right thing. The children also provide the adults in the story with a lesson in not jumping to conclusions. Joe hopes that people reading this book will be transported back in time to when rural families had little or no electricity and used an ice box instead of a refrigerator, etc. Both the memoir part of the book and the mystery show what farming families’ lives were like in that time and place. His life is somewhat different from what other rural, Midwestern people from that time period experienced because he was Deaf and faced unusual challenges, like making friends with people who don’t know ASL.

What happens when the system doesn't work in the way that it is expected to? In this case, it has produced the alleged murderer Ivan the Terrible: the revolutionary, often whimsical deviant who faces a society that wishes he didn't exist. From a young age, Tristan (alias Ivan the Terrible) has not lived a normal life. His battle against oppression, persecution and conventionality takes him to the edge of existence and cultural morality as he and his unconventional companions question everything that those around him hold to be true. Written from the point of view of Ivan the Terrible himself, Product of Society aims to delve into the mind of this controversial personality... Psychopath or revolutionary? Insane or genius? Hero or villain? One can never be sure. Would you like to keep your preconceptions and your sanity, or are you ready to lose them both?

In the great Windy City, prominent businessmen are being found murdered. This leads Chicago's finest on the trail of a murderer who leaves a unique calling card behind. Private Investigator Sherman Brothers finds himself dragged into the string of murders when his own brother, a lawyer, turns to him in fear of having a bull's eye on his back. Sherman's investigation reveals skeletons in the closets of some of the most unlikely characters in his own life. During his down time he tries to unravel the mystery of the women in his world. When all fails, he finds himself at his home away from home, the City Block Cocktail Bar.

An expert guide to the present-day cultural life of Croatia and how it has been influenced by the nation's tumultuous past. Culture and Customs of Croatia offers an expert insider's look at a Balkan nation which, for the first time since the 12th century, is free to draw on its own traditions to determine its political, philosophical, and cultural identity. Culture and Customs of Croatia provides a comprehensive overview of Croatian art and culture with an emphasis on the historical factors contributing to contemporary Croatian life. An in-depth exploration of the country's past lays the groundwork for a discussion of a number of current issues, including progress towards EU membership, the expanding role of the Catholic Church, preservation of the country's World Heritage Sites, the growing popularity of the nation's Adriatic coastline as a beach vacation destination, and the complex, still reverberating legacy of the former Yugoslavia.

“[Rechy’s] tone rings absolutely true, is absolutely his own. . . . He tells the truth, and tells it with such passion that we are forced to share in the life he conveys. . . . This is a most humbling and liberating achievement.”—James Baldwin When John Rechy’s explosive first novel appeared in 1963, it marked a radical departure in fiction, and gave voice to a subculture that had never before been revealed with such acuity. It earned comparisons to Genet and Kerouac, even as Rechy was personally attacked by scandalized reviewers. Nevertheless, the book became an international bestseller, and fifty years later, it has become a classic. Bold and inventive in style, Rechy is unflinching in his portrayal of one hustling “youngman” and his search for self-knowledge within the neon-lit world of hustlers, drag queens, and the denizens of their world, as he moves from El Paso to Times Square, from Pershing Square to the French Quarter. Now including never-seen original marked galley pages and an interview with the author, Rechy’s portrait of the edges of America has lost none of its power to move and exhilarate.