Power For Good

“The Power of One has everything: suspense, the exotic, violence; mysticism, psychology and magic; schoolboy adventures, drama.” –The New York Times “Unabashedly uplifting . . . asserts forcefully what all of us would like to believe: that the individual, armed with the spirit of independence–‘the power of one’–can prevail.” –Cleveland Plain Dealer In 1939, as Hitler casts his enormous, cruel shadow across the world, the seeds of apartheid take root in South Africa. There, a boy called Peekay is born. His childhood is marked by humiliation and abandonment, yet he vows to survive and conceives heroic dreams–which are nothing compared to what life actually has in store for him. He embarks on an epic journey through a land of tribal superstition and modern prejudice where he will learn the power of words, the power to transform lives, and the power of one. “Totally engrossing . . . [presents] the metamorphosis of a most remarkable young man and the almost spiritual influence he has on others . . . Peekay has both humor and a refreshingly earthy touch, and his adventures, at times, are hair-raising in their suspense.” –Los Angeles Times Book Review “Marvelous . . . It is the people of the sun-baked plains of Africa who tug at the heartstrings in this book. . . . [Bryce] Courtenay draws them all with a fierce and violent love.” –The Washington Post Book World “Impressive.” –Newsday “A compelling tale.” –The Christian Science Monitor

How would you describe yourself? Do you like to stand out, or fit in? Are you an Instagram junkie, or is Snapchat more your thing? Are you watching Zoella on YouTube, or reading Rookie on your phone? We're all different, and no-one's teenage years are the same. But we do all have one thing in common - being a teenager is about discovering who we are, and who we want to be. It can be tricky, building and forming your own identity and sense of self, and sometimes, advice from someone who has been there and done it in the not-too-distant past can come in useful. Enter Rosalind Jana, who's crammed more into her 20-odd years than most (including winning the Vogue Talent Contest for Young Writers AND 'Well Dressed' at the Observer Ethical Awards, but don't tell her we told you that...). Notes on Being Teenage covers all aspects of teenhood, from the serious (mental health issues, bullying, staying safe online), to the slightly-less-so (dating, style, fashion, starting a blog) and everything in between. Rooted in her own experiences as a blogger, part-time model and eco-fashion-expert, but also as a teen who struggled with scoliosis, bullying and her dad's depression, Rosalind is well-placed to offer advice and guidance to anyone navigating their teenage years. She's also spoken to loads of teens about their experiences, too, and their stories, problems, advice and wisdom are gathered here as well, along with interviews with inspirational and interesting people like Louise O'Neill, Juno Dawson and Rosianne Halse-Rojas. All this combines to form a warm, witty, wise book not just on how to survive but how to thrive as a teen. Essential reading for smart girls of any age.

Life is full of invitations and opportunities, for growth and discovery, if only we keep our minds open and heed the signs. Naturally, we can always refuse… but sometimes Spirit has a subtle way of urging us in the right direction. David and Linda Serlin said “Yes!” to one unexpected invitation and this book is the story of how that choice set them on an exciting spiritual adventure and changed their lives completely. From a stately home in Essex, UK, to an esoteric retreat on the north Californian coast of the USA, their journey brought deep spiritual insights and principles that David shares with us in this fascinating and uplifting book. Whilst revealing their own unsuspected talents, their experiences also led them to the realisation that ‘There is a Power for Good in the universe, that is greater than we are and that we can use.' In clear and friendly language, David shows us just how to do that!

The media's bias toward stories of conflict, violence, and division is bad for your health. In this book, Hal Urban shows how to find the positive and uplifting all around us. The news media thrives on bad news. In recent years, the political climate has become vitriolic and divisive, our country seems more polarized than ever, and news feels inescapable because technology has significantly increased its reach. People who like to stay informed need a lift. Most people are aware that what they eat greatly impacts their physical health: junk food is bad, vegetables are good. Hal Urban argues that we can nourish our minds by choosing how we consume news, and that when we surrender all that choice to media and external forces, we give up our growth, freedom, and mental health. Countless signs of progress and acts of kindness exist all around the world if you know where to look. And there are positive aspects in our own lives—family, friends, simple beauties, and everyday generosities—that we take for granted. This book helps readers understand that, as the late Zig Ziglar said, "You are what you are because of what goes into your mind."

If ever there is one universal language, it would definitely be food. As the years go by, we try to understand and reconcile ourselves with the power of food over our lives. They could make us young or old, fat or slim, health or weak. Because of this, a lot of studies and discoveries were made on the topic of food. As well look at us in the mirror, most of us would almost immediately notice those lines in our faces. Suddenly we all wonder if we are too old or the environment around us is simply moving time so fast. We wonder what could be done. When we got up and stepped on that scale, we are shocked to see that line hit past the average weight. We panic as we think that we are getting fat and would mean getting slow. Mentally we relate our weight to our heavy bodies and low energy. We almost immediately sign up for that gym class. We are extremely conscious of what we look that we tend to forgot that sometimes the answer could be that simple. In our society today, we are bombarded with pollutions and fast food. These two have a tremendous effect on how we eat and look. Fast food centres offer unhealthy food that often times contribute a lot of problems. Lots of studies and experiments are being done to answer our cry for help. We want a diet that is effective. A diet that could boost our energy levels, make us feel young, look young, affordable and sustainable. One interesting and very realistic discovery is “food combining”. Correctly combining foods makes all the difference in the world to proper digestion, cholesterol and metabolism. Without complete digestion, the nutrients in even the most wholesome food cannot be fully extracted and assimilated by the body. Before we could even say or open our mouth about food combining, we must first be equipped with the basic knowledge about food, its classifications and digestion. We cannot disregard these as they are the fundamental stones of which this was based. Thus in this book we are going to fully explore the concept of food combining.

An authentic novel about growing up in an Asian immigrant family with a mother who is suffering from a debilitating mental illness. Anna Chiu has her hands full. When she's not looking after her brother and sister or helping out at her father's restaurant, she's taking care of her mother, whose debilitating mental illness keeps her in bed most days. Her father's new delivery boy, Rory, is a welcome distraction and even though she knows that things aren't right at home, she's starting to feel like she could be a normal teen.But when her mother finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse. And as her mother's condition worsens, Anna and her family question everything they understand about themselves and each other.The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling is a heart-wrenching, true-to-life exploration through the often neglected crevices of culture, mental illness, and family. Its strong themes are balanced by a beautiful romance making it a feel-good, yet important read.

How can we make the governments on which we depend for our welfare and survival behave like servants rather than masters? This is the oldest question in politics. It has been grappled with, but never satisfactorily answered, for thousands of years. In much of the world states remain oppressive, secretive and violent. It is no surprise that so much recent political theory has been concerned with how to protect people from dangerous states. Yet the only things as bad as states that are too strong are states that are too weak. The old democracies of western Europe and north America have achieved a rough balance between being too strong and too weak, yet still suffer from constant crises of moral purpose. There is a growing trend of anti-politics, manifest in falling turnouts and party membership, and an assumption that politicians represent the worst venality rather than the highest ideals. Something has gone badly wrong in our relationship with power. This book explains why we have arrived at this point, what can be done to change the world, and how the power of governments can be used for good.

How Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, Survived Herself–and Became the Indie Rock Queen. Chan Marshall’s stark lyrics, minimal arrangements,and wounded, smoky vocals, were an instant indie hit in the nineties–but her mental instability nearly derailed her career. How this sensitive but headstrong Georgian daughter of an unstable mother and a relatively unknown musician father–managed to make it big, burn out, and rise up again to become not only the darling of the indie music scene but also a fashion and Hollywood icon is the fabric of this irresistible story. Covering her musical beginnings in the south and her booze-soaked rise to fame in New York City to her eventual breakdown and subsequent reclamation of herself and her music, Cat Power delves into the soul of this fragile but ferociously gifted young talent. With seven albums behind her, the hottest designers clamoring to dress her, and perpetually sold-out venues, Marshall is at the height of her career–a perfect vantage point from which to look at her notorious and intriguing history. From interviews with her family, musicians such as Thurston Moore, Nick Cave, Dave Grohl, and Jack White, past loves like Bill Callahan and Vincent Gallo, and current friends such as Karl Lagerfeld and Wong Kar-Wai, Elizabeth Goodman gives us the real Chan Marshall–the little girl, the woman, the artist.