![]() ![]() Toward the end, the film feels a little message-y and hurried, but that's forgivable. And points to both Mariah Carey for her nuanced performance as a social worker and to Patton for providing uplift without treacle. Same for comedienne Mo'Nique, who surprises here with her monstrous depiction of Precious' mother that manages - a little, anyway - to be tragic, too. Precious tells the social worker that Little Mongo does not live with her so Mary gets kicked off aid. Precious says her name means something valuable, but Claireece is someone elses name. She says that she was left behind when she was seven because she could not read and peed herself in class, and when she was twelve because she had a baby by her own father, and the baby turned out. Abdul means servant of God and Louis is for Farrakhan. The chapter opens with the main character, Precious, talking about the various reasons why she has been left behind in the school system. So thank heavens for Sidibe, who, in her first feature-film outing, doesn't so much dazzle as persuade. On January 15, 1988, Precious has her son, Abdul Jamal Louis Jones. It all makes for a powerful film, but sometimes it's hard to stomach. ![]() The abuse - verbal, physical, and sexual - plays out in relentless assaults, allowing the audience to feel just a fraction of what it's like to be Precious. Director Lee Daniels goes for grit every chance he gets, with many sequences drained of color and light - except for Precious' own flights of fancy, which provide much-needed escape from her own reality. ![]() With its spectacularly brutal storyline, Precious is deeply compelling and disturbing at the same time. ![]()
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![]() ![]() He has a remarkably strong storytelling sense throughout the book which makes it really fun to read. Hike by Pete Oswald - Read Along with Rihal - Storytime with Rihal Rihal Rohit 57 subscribers Subscribe Share 2. I love how throughout the story there are double-page spreads, but also smaller snapshots of the story. And he also creates panels that don’t need any words to tell a story. He takes the reader on an adventure using different “camera angles” to show perspective. I think it’s evident when you read this book. Pete Oswald is not only an illustrator but also an animator. They see wildlife, walk over a river on an old tree, go bouldering on some rocks and eventually plant a small tree. They go on an adventure hiking a trail to the top of a mountain. I absolutely love wordless picture books because it allows the reader to create their own story! In this story, a father and child explore all that nature has to offer. A touching tribute to the bond between father and child, with resonant themes for Earth Day, Hike is a breath of fresh air.” Review: ![]() In detail-rich panels and textured panoramas, Pete Oswald perfectly paces this nearly wordless adventure, allowing readers to pause for subtle wonders and marvel at the views. By the time they return home, they feel alive - and closer than ever - as they document their hike and take their place in family history. ![]() Follow the duo into the mountains as they witness the magic of the wilderness, overcome challenges, and play a small role in the survival of the forest. “In the cool and quiet early light of morning, a father and child wake up. ![]() ![]() ![]() Whatever the merits of this assessment-it warrants some examination and revision-it certainly is widely shared. ![]() ![]() His role there in formulating the so-called containment doctrine led no less an observer than Henry Kissinger to suggest that Kennan "came as close to authoring the diplomatic doctrine of his era as any diplomat in our history." His reputation and significance derive primarily from his service as Director of the Policy Planning Staff in the State Department from 1947 to 1949. Kennan must surely be numbered among the most notable members of the Foreign Service of the United States. The article originally appeared in the Foreign Service Journal and is reprinted with that publication's permission. In this article Father Miscamble recounts the life and career and accomplishments of this extraordinary diplomat, scholar and man of letters. George Kennan's career in the Foreign Service spanned only a quarter-century, yet his name remains inextricably linked to the creative burst of policy-making during the Truman Administration. George Kennan, a Life in the Foreign Service ![]() ![]() ![]() Correction: A previous version of this review misstated a character's age. Author’s notes discuss Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language, the island, and the history of deaf education. ![]() LeZotte ( Here Comes Julie Jack), who is deaf, deftly connects the islanders’ prejudice against the Wampanoag to the mainlanders’ view of deaf individuals as lesser Mary’s progressive attitudes feel modern while aligning with her character’s sensibilities. Scholastic Press, 18.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-2 Set in 1805, LeZotte’s engrossing historical novel explores prejudice and racism through the eyes of 11-year-old Mary. After a warmly bucolic opening, the cruel scientist’s desire for a “live specimen” sets up a second act in Boston, where Mary is taken and discovers a harsh reality for deaf people. ( Editor’s note: NonDoc’s Author Umbrella interviews up-and-coming writers. So many of the residents are deaf that the island has its own sign language, used by hearing and deaf people alike this attracts a young scientist named Andrew Noble, who wants to discover the source of the town’s widespread “infirmity.” Noble’s insensitive treatment of the villagers offends Mary, reminding her of the way white settlers colonized the island, enslaving Wampanoag men, an issue that is far from resolved. Ann Clare LeZotte is the author of Show Me a Sign, a novel whose main character is deaf. Following her older brother’s death, Mary lives with her parents in a close-knit Martha’s Vineyard town made up of both English and Wampanoag members. Historical novel explores prejudice and racism through the eyes of 11-year-old Mary Lambert, who is deaf. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() But this sort of contradiction, of placating a severe root problem with a superficial or false solution, is nothing strange for Gates, as a closer look into his million-dollar investments, billionaire and private company partnerships, and his political agenda show little alignment with the goal of truly curving climate change, helping alleviate world hunger, or lifting the poor out of poverty. ![]() ![]() Though he attempts to waves this fact away by claiming to make sure that his miles are offset, and his jet uses only “sustainable fuel”. A fact that seems a little ironic coming from one of the world’s largest emitters, whose “guilty pleasure” is flying on private jets and who just joined a bid to acquire the world’s largest private jet services company. In his latest book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates lays out a plan to stop global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero. Browse: Techno Fixes will not Save our Planet – The Imposition of a Failed Agriculture Model Global Commission on Adaptation – Breakthrough Energy Ventures: The Revolving Door for “Super Emitters” The False Promise of Fake Food – Biodiversity and Agroecology are True Solutions to Climate Change ![]() ![]() ![]() Internationally bestselling author Johann Hari shows us twelve deep factors harming our focus today, and that once we understand them, together, we can reclaim our minds. The average office worker now focuses on any one task for just three minutes. Is your ability to focus and pay attention in free fall? He uncovers a collective attention crisis that’s affecting the entire globe. Over three years, Hari tries to identify the root causes of this problem. He can’t seem to focus on much outside of Twitter and online news. ![]() ![]() * THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Stolen Focus (2022) begins with author Johann Hari experiencing a common problem: his attention span is diminishing. ![]() ![]() ![]() Then, the ceiling of her New York apartment literally crumbles on her. She hasn’t told her family and now has terrible writer’s block. She just quit her well-paid job to focus on her secret career as a romance writer. And Aaron Blackford, the main character in the book, probably is the most popular book boyfriend everyone dream of. ![]() It is still very famous among most book lovers. She was able to gain so many fans in a very short time. Her debut book, Spanish Love Deceptionwas a successful book and has received so much attention and love from the audience. It was no surprise when the news came out and it blew up the whole social media. Elena Armas had already won the hearts of many book lovers. My favorite romance book, Spanish Love Deception was getting a sequel? I was over the moon when I heard the news and couldn’t wait for the book to be in my hand. When I first heard the title of the book, I knew it was going to be the trope where the main leads are going to be roommates somehow and there might be some kind of experiment going on with their relationship, and man, I was so certain I was going to enjoy reading this book. The American Roommate Experiment, all I can say is this book is full of romance, friendship, respect, butterflies, chemistry, tingles, fireworks and love. ![]() ![]() ![]() She loves the color blue, homemade lasagna, casually browsing real estate, and interacting with her readers. Originally a southern girl, Alex now lives in Ohio with her husband, two children, two cats and dog. After spending several years as a devoted reader and blogger, Alex decided to write and independently publish her first novel in 2014 (an endeavor that took a little longer than expected). Her passion for books was reignited by a gift from her sister-in-law. ![]() Alex Grayson is the bestselling author of heart pounding, emotionally gripping contemporary romance including the Jaded Series, the Consumed Series, and two standalone novels. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() This is a bold claim for a man damned in history by Trotsky's dismissive epithet, 'grey blur'. Montefiore starts by making the assertion that Stalin was 'exceptional'. But Stalin emerges from these pages as a real human being who loved, swore, joked, sang and - judging from the picture on the cover - went on picnics. What was he like? Harsh, cruel, unyielding, amoral certainly. Simon Sebag Montefiore has mined the rich veins of recent Russian writing on the Stalin age and of newly opened archives to give us an intimate history of a man who was always secretive with hls colleagues and who has remained elusive to posterity. Author: Sebag-Montefiore, Simon, 1965- Format: Book xxv, 693 p., 32 p. There are many Stalins in this magnificent portrait of the dictator and the court that surrounded him. Available in the National Library of Australia collection. The men and women at Stahn's court had to learn them all to survive. Showing how Stalin's triumphs and crimes were the product. Written with bracing narrative verve, this feat of scholarly research has become a classic of modern history writing. ![]() ![]() He was simply a man of many parts oneand many faces. Based on groundbreaking research, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals the fear and betrayal, privilege and debauchery, family life and murderous cruelty of this secret world. This does not mean that Stalin had doubles everywhere like Saddam Hussein. ONE OF STALIN'S closest colleagues in the turbulent years of the dictatorship, Lazar Kaganovich, once remarked that he had known many Stalins. ![]() ![]() ![]() Many are written about contemporary problems or events. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. ![]() She's now a full-time writer.Īnn gets the ideas for her books from many different places. After graduating from Smith College, Ann became a teacher and then an editor of children's books. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, with her parents and her younger sister, Jane. ![]() But when Hattie takes Adam on the Ferris wheel one night, it sets off dramatic events that lead Hattie's family to strengthen its bonds and changes her life's outlook forever.Īnn Matthews Martin was born on August 12, 1955. Hattie and Adam wind up spending precious time together - including a visit to the recently arrived carnival with Hattie's new friend, Leila - which makes her feel soulfully connected to her uncle, especially when he declares that she's one of the people who can lift the corners of our universe. Returning from a Chicago school that's just closed and whose existence is kept quiet by adult family members, Adam is a 21-year-old man with a child's mind, having a knack for talking quickly, a savant-like ability for remembering weekdays, and a passion for I Love Lucy. Yet this year, it's different - Hattie's uncle Adam is coming home. Hattie Owen enjoys peaceful Millerton summertimes with houses nodding in the heavy air, being in charge of Miss Hagerty's breakfast tray at her parents' boardinghouse, and drinking lemonade on the porch after supper. ![]() |