Someone

SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL IMPAC DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD 2015 LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 2014 Someone begins on the stoop of a Brooklyn apartment building where Marie is waiting for her father to come home from work. It is the 1920s and in her Irish-American enclave the stories of her neighbours unfold before her short-sighted eyes. As the years pass Marie's own history plays out against the backdrop of a changing world. This is the story of one life in all its devastating pains and unexpected joys; its bursts of brilliant clarity and moments of profound confusion. Fragments of a curious childhood, of adolescent sexual awakenings, of motherhood and, finally, old age are pieced together in this resonant tale of an unremarkable, unforgettable woman.

In this poignant and heart wrenching true story, Regina Louise recounts her childhood search for connection in the face of abuse, neglect, and rejection. What happens to a child when her own parents reject her and sit idly by as others abuse her? In this poignant, heart wrenching debut work, Regina Louise recounts her childhood search for someone to feel connected to. A mother she has never known--but long fantasized about-- deposited her and her half sister at the same group home that she herself fled years before. When another resident beats Regina so badly that she can barely move, she knows that she must leave this terrible place-the only home she knows. Thus begins Regina's fight to survive, utterly alone at the age of 10. A stint living with her mother and her abusive boyfriend is followed by a stay with her father's lily white wife and daughters, who ignore her before turning to abuse and ultimately kicking her out of the house. Regina then tries everything in her search for someone to care for her and to care about, from taking herself to jail to escaping countless foster homes to be near her beloved counselor. Written in her distinctive and unique voice, Regina's story offers an in-depth look at the life of a child who no one wanted. From her initial flight to her eventual discovery of love, your heart will go out to Regina's younger self, and you'll cheer her on as she struggles to be Somebody's Someone.

This book continues the discussions in "What a piece of work: on being human" (Imprint Academic 2006) and may be considered its sequel. Among all the creatures in the physical universe, humans seem to be more than simply physical, because they are aware of being creatures in the universe. Human beings essentially belong to the world of nature, yet stand out as the most complex and fascinating of all living beings. Like and also unlike other animals, they respond to what happens to them; they make plans and carry them out; they recognize one another, sometimes lovingly; they make friends and enjoy their company; they shape the world around them for convenience and for delight; they ask questions both practical and theoretical; and many of them try to praise God. In What a Piece of Work, Helen Oppenheimer considered humankind as part of the natural universe which Christians believe God set in motion, asking how human beings stand among other creatures and how they are to be valued. In this volume she leaves aside comparisons with our fellow creatures in order to attend to our own experience. It makes a good start to think of oneself as a human animal, but then we need to go further and ask what does it mean to be a person, to be counted as someone?

Alison Espach, acclaimed author of The Adults, brings her razor sharp insight and storytelling magic to bear in this entrancing tale.

“In short, digestible chapters Shepherd shares several truths every human needs to know . . . You’ll enjoy reading and laughing your way through this book!” (Terrace Crawford, nationally recognized speaker & author of Going Social). He should have seen it coming. Anonymous letters are rarely good. On the day after preaching a sermon at his church, Rob Shepherd opened a letter filled with hurtful words and a very strong opinion about how awful his sermon was. On his fourth reading of the letter, Rob heard a still small voice say, “Even if you preached the perfect sermon somebody would crucify it.” That thought began the process of setting Rob free from being a lifelong people pleaser. With humor, personal stories, and great conviction Rob shares his personal story of learning to care less about what people say and more about what God says. Even If You Were Perfect Somebody Would Crucify You uncovers what our real struggle is when it comes to pleasing people. You can be set free from the fear of saying no to people, win the battle with avoiding confrontation, learn the power of confession, and find your true identity in Jesus. “This book will nail you in regards to cutting out the paralyzing noises of life and opinions of others. Be ready for a tugging at your heart to rest and rediscover your identity FULLY in Him.” —Chad Johnson, director of the Catalyst Conference

A family death leaves Jack "Cal" Callahan with a very spoiled dog who seems to have taken charge of Cal's love life. Deciding the dog has to go, Cal finds the perfect owner, who also turns out to be his perfect match in love, life, and faith.

What do you say to someone in an elevator? This book could have been titled: Uncomfortable, Embarrassing Moments, or Awkward Occasions, or A Guide for the Unbelievable Shy, or You Can Choose To Be Painfully Politically Correct and Shallow In All Social Situations. It is not just about what to say to someone in an elevator. Rather it is about all of those awkward occasions in which we find ourselves at a loss for words. This is particularly difficult when we are in a time bind with only a few minutes, or in some cases a few seconds, to say something or do something to relieve the tension or bring humor to an otherwise awkward situation. Wakes, funerals, lineups, parking lots, public transits, taverns, hospitals, waiting rooms, airports, the homeless, the handicapped, professors, clerks, civil servants that arent so civil, and the like all provide us with the opportunity to reach out and touch somebody in a human, caring way. It is my wish that by the end of this book all those who chose to read it will gain some insight into why these events are so difficult. We can also ask ourselves what we can do to bring some humor to these clumsy moments so as to make them more tolerable, and maybe even, more enjoyable to ourselves and others. We might even arrive at the day when we would not simply be ready to respond to these ungraceful moments but to actually anticipate and look forward to them. I wish! I have work worked and studied through the USA and Canada for over forty years and most of the stories told here are from my personal experience in awkward or embarrassing situations in too many communities to mention. This book is important because it deals with lost opportunities in life when we have the opportunity to reach out and touch others in situations that are often uncomfortable or awkward for most people. Judging from those who have read a copy it seems that everyone can relate to those situations. The book will have wide mass appeal to teenagers and seniors and all those people in-between. What Do You Say To Someone In An ElevatorK FAQ Why did you write the book? The reason words are so important is because of the difference we can make in the lives of others with just a few well chosen words. This would seem especially true in those awkward moments in life when we only have a few seconds or minutes to say or do something that can touch another human being deeply. What is the focus or theme of the book? Awkward occasions that make us uncomfortable are a common, almost daily occurrence. They happen in line-ups at the supermarket, in hospital waiting rooms, at the bank, in elevators, at airports lounge or waiting areas, in airplanes, and in dozens of other situations. Why are they so awkward and is there anything we can do to prepare for these occasions to make them more tolerable? What do you say to someone in an elevator tackles this common dilemma that every human being has faced many times in their life. Why is it important for people to read this book? People who read this book will be encouraged to think outside the box about their own behaviour and how they can influence others in difficult or awkward situations. They will also be encourage to prepare for these situations in order to take better advantage of them. What makes this book different from others on humour? This book does not attempt to create situations in order to be funny. It simply takes advantage of those situations that occur several times every day when, if we were to think about it, we could laugh at ourselves or others in a kind and gentle way. Words that describe the book? X Humourous X Dealing with awkward moments or occasions X Preparing for uncomfortable moments X How to handle embarrassing moments X A guide for shy people Was this the original title you had in mind? No. My first title was What to Say to Someone in an Elevator. However, the more I thought about this the more I real

Someone's Praying, Lord is a book of prayers written specifically for situations of daily life--prayers for the high times and the lows, prayers for times of happiness and sadness, prayers in the morning and those at night. This book is made up of prayers that struggled, in many different times and places, to be born within one's life; to speak to God, not just for oneself but for other people too, those feelings most deeply felt, those longings most secretly longed, and those words most passionately needing to be said. They are offered in this form as expressions of what one person, "standin' in the need of prayer," felt and said in that moment when his heart was most touched by God.