Recessional

In this remarkable novel, Pulitzer Prize–winning author James A. Michener draws on his unparalleled gift for storytelling, his deep understanding of American society, and his own life experiences to illuminate the challenges of aging and the folly of youth. As the new director of a Florida retirement home known as the Palms, Andy Zorn suffers no shortage of loving support from his “elders,” a group of five passionate, outspoken residents. Still, Andy’s shortcomings tear him apart. But when he meets an extraordinary young woman who has been forced to rebuild her life after suffering crippling injuries, he finds himself falling in love. And with a few gentle jabs from his more mature friends, he discovers a wonderful new purpose in life. Praise for Recessional “The best moments in the novel occur when the characters disclose what’s in their hearts and minds with rueful, snappy humor.”—The New York Times Book Review “Michener hooks you with wonderfully humorous scenes. These are then interwoven between the moments of pain and heartache brought about by life choices we all must make.”—Tulsa World “Engaging . . . One will be drawn into the novelist’s world. . . . The lush natural setting provides James Michener plenty to show and tell.”—The Washington Times

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! “Savagery appeased can only grow. Once you give in to it, it must escalate, like a fire searching for air.” The man who won the Pulitzer Prize for GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, who wrote the classic films THE VERDICT and WAG THE DOG sounds his alarm about the Visigoths at our gates. In RECESSIONAL he calls out, skewers, mocks, and, most importantly, dissects the virus of conformity which is now an existential threat to the West. A broad-ranging journey through history, the Bible, and literature, RECESSIONAL examines how politics and cultural attitudes about rebellion have shifted in the United States in the last generation. By screaming down freedom of thought and expression, Mamet explains, we kill invention and democracy – the foundations of security and growth. A wickedly funny, wistful and wry appeal to the free-thinking citizen, RECESSIONAL is a vital warning that if we don’t confront the cultural thuggery now, the commissars and their dupes will transform the Land of the Free into the dictatorship at which they aim.

While many evangelical congregations have moved away from hymns and hymnals, these were once central fixtures in the evangelical tradition. This book examines the role and importance of hymns in evangelicalism, not only as a part of worship but as tools for theological instruction, as a means to identity formation, and as records of past spiritual experiences of the believing community. Written by knowledgeable church historians, Wonderful Words of Life explores the significance of hymn-singing in many dimensions of American Protestant and evangelical life. The book focuses mainly on church life in the United States but also discusses the foundational contributions of Isaac Watts and other British hymn writers, the use of gospel songs in English Canada, and the powerful attraction of African-American gospel music for whites of several religious persuasions. Includes appendixes on the American Protestant Hymn Project and on hymns in Roman Catholic hymnals. Contributors: Susan Wise Bauer Thomas E. Bergler Virginia Lieson Brereton Esther Rothenbusch Crookshank Kevin Kee Richard J. Mouw Mark A. Noll Felicia Piscitelli Robert A. Schneider Rochelle A. Stackhouse Jeffrey VanderWilt

'Superb, beautifully written, touching and occasionally very funny' Andrew Roberts David Gilmour's superb biography of Rudyard Kipling is the first to show how the life and work of the great writer mirrored the trajectory of the British Empire, from its zenith to its final decades. His famous poem 'Recessional' celebrated Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, but his last poems warned of the dangers of Nazism, and in those intervening years Kipling, himself an icon of the Empire, was transformed from an apostle of success to a prophet of national decline. As Gilmour makes clear, Kipling's mysterious stories and poetry deeply influenced the way his readers saw both themselves and the British Empire, and they continue to challenge us today. 'A fine, fair and generous work ... Gilmour's celebrated life of Curzon demonstrated his mastery of imperial nuance and esoteric character, and he brings to this book just the right combination of empathy, distaste and fastidious detachment ... there is never a flaccid line, and never a hasty judgement' Jan Morris, New Statesman 'Every now and again a book comes along that sheds new light on a life we thought we knew. David Gilmour's beautifully-written biography of Rudyard Kipling is just such a work ... This is literary biography at its very finest' George Rosie, Sunday Herald 'An enthralling biography of a mind ... essential reading for anyone who cares about how a writer finds, and passionately lives, his subject' Ruth Padel, Daily Telegraph 'The best Kipling biography yet written ... Gilmour's account of this driven man shines with intelligence' J. B. Pick, Scotsman

When a postgraduate student of African languages, looking for a topic for her doctoral thesis, happens upon an obscure and incomplete lexicon of metaphorical names for indigenous Sanga-Nguni cattle by a long-dead academic, she knows, instinctively, that she has found her subject. She is given access to his papers, his catalogue of index cards and field notes recorded in a remote valley in South Africa in 1946. Among his many photographs is a small print of a delicately patterned cow. In finding it she has, unwittingly, discovered a cipher to his life. In exchanging objectivity for passion, and in defiance of her supervisor's instructions, the linguist becomes the biographer. She begins to reconstruct the life and the lost love of a man long forgotten, to recreate a world to which she can restore him - and, in doing so, restore herself. Fact and supposition, instinct and intuition become blurred, making a new truth ... Recessional for Grace is an exquisitely textured novel. In Poland's assured hands, it is a love story at once delicate and incandescent and an exploration of the process of creation where sequence does not matter and past and present have a genesis apart from time.

Can eucharistic ministers clean the vessels after communion? What does the deacon do at Mass? How do we use the entrance and communion antiphons? Where do the servers sit? Is the gospel book carried out at the end of Mass? How do we choose the eucharistic prayer? The and more questions--45 in all--that priests, liturgists, music directors, liturgy committees, ministry coordinators and diocesan liturgy offices frequently ask about the Mass are answered here with legal expertise and pastoral sensitivity. Questions are grouped into subject topics including introductory rites, liturgy of the word, liturgy of the eucharist, concluding rites, ministers, weekdays and miscellaneous issues.

In this information-packed guide, Steve Sing gives photographers the best of his...experience in shooting weddings and events.

Astronomy Methods is an introduction to the basic practical tools, methods and phenomena that underlie quantitative astronomy. Taking a technical approach, the author covers a rich diversity of topics across all branches of astronomy, from radio to gamma-ray wavelengths. Topics include the quantitative aspects of the electromagnetic spectrum, atmospheric and interstellar absorption, telescopes in all wavebands, interferometry, adaptive optics, the transport of radiation through matter to form spectral lines, and neutrino and gravitational-wave astronomy. Clear, systematic presentations of the topics are accompanied by diagrams and problem sets. Written for undergraduates and graduate students, this book contains a wealth of information that is required for the practice and study of quantitative and analytical astronomy and astrophysics.