Song Of The Sparrow

An astonishing memoir about how song saved a life Singer/songwriter Tara MacLean has had an extraordinary musical career. From being discovered singing on a BC ferry to touring with Dido, Tom Cochrane and Lilith Fair, her solo albums and those with the band Shaye have touched legions of fans. But she hasn’t, until now, disclosed the details of how the power of song saved her from a childhood filled with danger. From her earliest days in the backwoods of Prince Edward Island, Tara was surrounded by nature, the songs of her musician father and the love of her actor mother. But love was not enough to feed their growing family, nor were the Wiccan, then evangelical Christian teachings her parents followed. Poverty and uncertainty were constant companions, as were the dangers that began to enter her world. Predators can come in many forms from even the most trusted circles, and Tara soon learned that a young girl is never safe. It was only through Tara’s inner strength and the sanctuary she found in singing that she created a refuge and a future for herself. Song of the Sparrow is a daring, heartbreaking and provocative memoir of a life filled with music, told with the same raw, open and elegant poetry that Tara’s fans have come to expect. From Tara’s childhood in PEI through her teenage years in BC to her meteoric rise in music, Song of the Sparrow reveals her remarkable strength and shows that a song and a wide-open heart are the best weapons for fighting monsters. Don’t miss Tara’s new album, Sparrow, which is being released concurrently with this memoir.

She is Elaine of Ascolat, the Lady of Shalott. At sixteen, Elaine is beautiful and brave, with a temperament as fiery as her long red hair. She lives on Arthur's army base with her father and brothers, the sole girl in a militaristic world of men. As she mends torn battle garments and heals wounds, Elaine often slips into daydreams, wishing the handsome Lancelot would see her as more than a tomboy. Then a new girl arrives, and Elaine is thrilled-- until Gwynivere proves to be cold and cruel. But when the two of them are thrown into a situation of gravest danger, they must band together in order to survive. Can Elaine find the strength to fight for the kingdom she has always believed in? This highly acclaimed novel is a beautiful contribution to the Camelot canon.

A visionary work that combines speculative fiction with deep philosophical inquiry, The Sparrow tells the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a scientific mission entrusted with a profound task: to make first contact with intelligent extraterrestrial life. The mission begins in faith, hope, and beauty, but a series of small misunderstandings brings it to a catastrophic end. Praise for The Sparrow “A startling, engrossing, and moral work of fiction.”—The New York Times Book Review “Important novels leave deep cracks in our beliefs, our prejudices, and our blinders. The Sparrow is one of them.”—Entertainment Weekly “Powerful . . . The Sparrow tackles a difficult subject with grace and intelligence.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Provocative, challenging . . . recalls both Arthur C. Clarke and H. G. Wells, with a dash of Ray Bradbury for good measure.”—The Dallas Morning News “[Mary Doria] Russell shows herself to be a skillful storyteller who subtly and expertly builds suspense.”—USA Today

"I Held the Sun in My Hands" is the story of a young girl raised in a traditional Jewish family in Hungary prior to and during WWII. When Germany occupied Hungary on March 19th, 1944, Erika Jacoby was deported to Auschwitz, together with her mother. She was among the youngest that escaped the selection of Dr .Mengele and together with her mother, who was among the oldest, she endured and outlasted the atrocities and deprivations of the Nazi persecutors. In her book she describes how the teachings and values that she absorbed and incorporated into her life in her home helped her survive Auschwitz and the other concentration camps. She writes movingly about her painful disappointments in the behavior of her fellow human beings, while never losing her faith in God. This unshakable trust in the divine personal protection inspired others as well not to give up hope. In her memoir we witness how this young girl took upon herself the enormous responsibility for her mother's survival, and the impact of that on their relationship after the war and, indeed, throughout their lives. The author, a clinical social worker, examines this relationship with much insight and compassion. This book is a remarkable account of one person's resiliency, ability to cope with adversity and survive not only physically but also spiritually.

The story of a sensitive, gifted African American girl who tells us with mordant humor what it feels like to spend every day wishing so hard that you could fly away from it all Sparrow has always had a difficult time making friends. She would always rather stay home on the weekends with her mother, an affluent IT executive at a Manhattan bank, reading, or watching the birds, than play with other kids. And that's made school a lonely experience for her. It's made LIFE a lonely experience.But when the one teacher who really understood her -- Mrs. Wexler, the school librarian, a woman who let her eat her lunch in the library office rather than hide in a bathroom stall, a woman who shared her passion for novels and knew just the ones she'd love -- is killed in a freak car accident, Sparrow's world unravels and she's found on the roof of her school in an apparent suicide attempt.With the help of an insightful therapist, Sparrow finally reveals the truth of her inner life. And it's here that she discovers an outlet in rock & roll music...

In the tradition of Gone with the Wind, Cold Mountain, and Lonesome Dove, Song of the Red Sparrow presents the first installment of a sweeping historical epic that moves from Maryland at the time of the Civil War to a small, isolated Texas town. In Prairie Gulch, Texas, guarded secrets are told, legends are whispered, buried lies are uncovered, and hidden identities arent hidden for long. For residents of this rough-and-tumble town tucked away on the fringes of the civilized world, any change of pace is a welcome one. When a company of four lovely young dancers and singers rolls into town, all sorts of unexpected adventures ensue. But even their sworn protector, the stalwart Ralph Waldo Horowitz, cant prevent their first night in Prairie Gulch from becoming one theyll never forget. Luckily, the towns sheriff takes the ladies under his protection. Soon enough, the ladies of the Miss Lilliforth Dance League will learn that nothing sings quite like the song of the Red Sparrow.

Chiya is born and brought up in a wealthy business-class family. When her mom Rini, a highly ambitious woman, tries to fix her marriage with a millionaire divorcee, quite senior to her in age, she refuses categorically. As a result an ugly argument ensues between them. Chiya's life turns upside down when Rini reveals an unpleasant secret pertaining to her life during the heat of the conflict. Then she embarks on a mission-the sole aim of her life. What was that secret and the mission thereupon? To find, explore the novel-Song of A Flying Sparrow-a tale of emotions, love, betrayal, ambitions, greed, cynicism and twisted relations.

Still on a mission to find the legendary Sword of Cortâes, the crew of the Barnacle becomes entranced by an ethereal song that pulls them away from their mission, leaving Captain Jack Sparrow to find the source behind the dark spell.