My Family Four Floors Up

This friendly, rhyming story follows a child and her father--as well as their cute pets, a puppy and a cat--through the day. From morning ritual to bedtime story (and all the fun in between!), life in the fourth floor walk up and on the city streets and parks below is sweet and filled with tender moments between parent and child.

Rescue Me meets Blue Bloods in this riveting social history of the New York City Fire Department told from the perspective of the Feehan family, who served in the FDNY for four generations and counting. Seen through the eyes of four generations of a firefighter family, Five Floors Up the story of the modern New York City Fire Department. From the days just after the horse-drawn firetruck, to the devastation of the 1970s when the Bronx was Burning, to the unspeakable tragedy of 9/11, to the culture-busting department of today, a Feehan has worn the shoulder patch of the FDNY. The tale shines the spotlight on the career of William M. Feehan. “Chief” Feehan is the only person to have held every rank in the FDNY including New York City’s 28th Fire Commissioner. He died in the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. But Five Floors Up is at root an intimate look at a firefighter clan, the selflessness and bravery of not only those who face the flames, but the family members who stand by their sides. Alternately humorous and harrowing, rich with anecdotes and meticulously researched and reported, Five Floors Up takes us inside a world few truly understand, documenting an era that is quickly passing us by.

"If, like me, you've stepped on a Lego while barefoot, it can be difficult to wrap your mind around the divine qualities of the path beneath your feet." Jami Amerine Come find the miracle in the mayhem. As moms, we know we've messed up in so many ways. Royally. Maybe you think you've failed your children, your spouse, and your God. But did you know that in the midst of your failures and fears, you are still loved—royally? As a child of noble birth? Do you believe your children are in better hands than your own and that you don't need to hold on so desperately? Jami Amerine, author of Stolen Jesus, delivers a totally relatable account of her hilarious and honest experiences and misadventures in motherhood. She's eager to help you see how to let your Heavenly Father parent you, so you can embrace peace as you parent your children. Come meet with the One whose presence turns sticky floors into sacred ground.

Adriana Bardolino’s spicy memoir finds her out of her element, and missing her happy place. This new world is nothing like the magical tropical island of Maui she left behind. There, her life was filled with love, beauty, art, and romance. Everything goes topsy-turvy when a dear friend’s promise dissolves into the humid Miami air. When her new life in Florida turns out to be less than expected, she misses her island home. Life events send her through dark clouds and tumbling tides. Gauguin (Art) keeps Adriana stable through most storms, but eventually even Gauguin deserts her. She floats through the universe without a spacesuit, searching for creativity to return. She visits new lands in hopes of a renewed spark. Adult life forces her to grow up, to learn to forgive herself and others for past mistakes, but there are deep emotional losses along the way. Will Adriana find Gauguin?

From romantic cities steeped in history to the stunning slopes of the Alps, get to know this exciting slice of Europe: with Rick Steves on your side, Eastern Europe can be yours! Inside Rick Steves Eastern Europe you'll find: Comprehensive coverage for spending two weeks or more exploring Eastern Europe Rick's strategic advice on how to get the most out of your time and money, with rankings of his must-see favorites Top sights and hidden gems, from the cobbles of bustling Bratislava, to country roads winding through the Julian Alps, to the striking chapels and cathedrals of Prague's Castle Quarter How to connect with culture: Bask in the energy of Kraków's Main Square Market, sample local wines from Hungarian vintners, or soak in the steamy thermal baths in Budapest Beat the crowds, skip the lines, and avoid tourist traps with Rick's candid, humorous insight The best places the eat, sleep, and relax Self-guided walking tours of lively neighborhoods and historic museums Detailed neighborhood maps for exploring on the go Useful resources including a packing list, phrase books, historical overviews, and recommended reading Over 1,000 bible-thin pages include everything worth seeing without weighing you down Complete, up-to-date information on the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria, and Slovakia, plus side trips to Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Romania Make the most of every day and every dollar with Rick Steves Eastern Europe.

A riveting portrait of a rural Pennsylvania town at the center of the fracking controversy Shale gas extraction—commonly known as fracking—is often portrayed as an energy revolution that will transform the American economy and geopolitics. But in greater Williamsport, Pennsylvania, fracking is personal. Up to Heaven and Down to Hell is a vivid and sometimes heartbreaking account of what happens when one of the most momentous decisions about the well-being of our communities and our planet—whether or not to extract shale gas and oil from the very land beneath our feet—is largely a private choice that millions of ordinary people make without the public's consent. The United States is the only country in the world where property rights commonly extend "up to heaven and down to hell," which means that landowners have the exclusive right to lease their subsurface mineral estates to petroleum companies. Colin Jerolmack spent eight months living with rural communities outside of Williamsport as they confronted the tension between property rights and the commonwealth. In this deeply intimate book, he reveals how the decision to lease brings financial rewards but can also cause irreparable harm to neighbors, to communal resources like air and water, and even to oneself. Up to Heaven and Down to Hell casts America’s ideas about freedom and property rights in a troubling new light, revealing how your personal choices can undermine your neighbors’ liberty, and how the exercise of individual rights can bring unintended environmental consequences for us all.