Fleeting Moments

The tension between nature and culture, which accompanies the rise of any large society, has become a subject of great concern in our time. In this compelling study, Gunther Barth, acclaimed author of City People: The Rise of Modern City Culture in Nineteenth-Century America, identifies fleeting moments of concord between nature and culture in the course of American history. During the search for the Wilderness Passage, the progress of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the building of park cemeteries and big city parks, Americans realized that nature was not merely a force to be reckoned with, not merely a resource to be exploited, but also an integral component of their lives. Through the engineering of nature and culture in the urban environment, the energetic attempts to conserve large-scale nature in the United States emerged as an offspring of the big city. Heightening our understanding of the historical complexity of the relationship between nature and culture, and suggesting that harmony between the two is a mark of civilization, this original study will be an invaluable guide to anyone concerned with the quality of life in America, past and future.

The autobiography of Walter Gordon Fischer

Fleeting Moments is a compilation of poetry dealing with lust, loss, love, longing, and just living life. Brought on by an awe–inspiring sunset, this book is a reminder that all things are temporary to us, whether it is beautiful or painful. We must learn to appreciate the beauty and learn from the pain, for it all will pass with time and lead us to much better places.

Mark Doty's prose has been hailed as "tempered and tough, sorrowing and serene" (The New York Times Book Review) and "achingly beautiful" (The Boston Globe). In Still Life with Oysters and Lemon he offers a stunning exploration of our attachment to ordinary things-how we invest objects with human store, and why.

The novel is set in Australia and the USA. Ursula, a German-born, had finally fulfilled her lifelong dreamwatching the Kentucky Derby in Louisville. Her beloved husband had died two years ago, but maybe it was time for Ursula to make a fresh start, so she set out to the USA. However, there was a pleasant surprise in storethe tall and handsome Gary. She met him on the day of the Kentucky Derby. From his gentlemanly behavior to his love of horses and gambling, he seemed an ideal match. Gary stirred feelings inside her that she thought were gone forever. When Gary suggested she spend time with him in Reno, she readily agreed. Their mutual attraction turned into a very steamy sexual affair with deep feelings for one another. When Gary asked her to come and live with him in San Diego, it seemed like a dream come true. Sadly, an operation changed all that, and Ursula returned to her home in Australia. Ursula did all she could to get over her feelings for Gary. She started writing again, and she met someone new. Then unexpectedly, Gary came back into the picture. Could Ursula believe his promises this time round? This is a romantic, passionate story about a love beset by challenges.

Little is known about the Tamil liberation cause and struggle, as it has been widely dismissed by global powers of all persuasions-the USA, Russia, China and India-each driven by their own realpolitik concerns and self- interests. This book, written by a Diaspora Tamil engaged in human rights work in the Tamil-controlled area of Vanni up until it was overrun by Sri Lankan forces, provides a compelling insider’s look at the motivations, issues and complexities of this largely secret civil war; the entire text is based on first hand observation and includes sociological insights based on these first hand observations. Isolatd in their struggle and condemned by world opinion, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) nonetheless proved capable of withstanding all external forces for a period of decades, drawing large numbers of Tamils, both inside Sri Lanka and outside in the Tamil Diaspora, to support tits cause. The LTTE created a progressive internal movement that succeeded in breaking down ancient caste barriers that had resisted the political inducements and leadership of figures such as Gandhi, and inculcated a climate of social justice and equality. This book describes what life was like on the ground inside Tamil- controlled territory where the forces of war were held at bay-what the author has referred to in the title of this book as "The Fleeting Moment...". What followed was a process of the destruction of everything that she described when it was overrun by the Sri Lankan army and the Tamil genocide began.