Download or read book I Know This Much Is True written by Wally Lamb and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1998-06-03 with total page 884 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With his stunning debut novel, She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb won the adulation of critics and readers with his mesmerizing tale of one woman's painful yet triumphant journey of self-discovery. Now, this brilliantly talented writer returns with I Know This Much Is True, a heartbreaking and poignant multigenerational saga of the reproductive bonds of destruction and the powerful force of forgiveness. A masterpiece that breathtakingly tells a story of alienation and connection, power and abuse, devastation and renewal--this novel is a contemporary retelling of an ancient Hindu myth. A proud king must confront his demons to achieve salvation. Change yourself, the myth instructs, and you will inhabit a renovated world. When you're the same brother of a schizophrenic identical twin, the tricky thing about saving yourself is the blood it leaves on your bands--the little inconvenience of the look-alike corpse at your feet. And if you're into both survival of the fittest and being your brother's keeper--if you've promised your dying mother--then say so long to sleep and hello to the middle of the night. Grab a book or a beer. Get used to Letterman's gap-toothed smile of the absurd, or the view of the bedroom ceiling, or the influence of random selection. Take it from a godless insomniac. Take it from the uncrazy twin--the guy who beat the biochemical rap. Dominick Birdsey's entire life has been compromised and constricted by anger and fear, by the paranoid schizophrenic twin brother he both deeply loves and resents, and by the past they shared with their adoptive father, Ray, a spit-and-polish ex-Navy man (the five-foot-six-inch sleeping giant who snoozed upstairs weekdays in the spare room and built submarines at night), and their long-suffering mother, Concettina, a timid woman with a harelip that made her shy and self-conscious: She holds a loose fist to her face to cover her defective mouth--her perpetual apology to the world for a birth defect over which she'd had no control. Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities: the seemingly strong and protective yet fearful Dominick, his mother's watchful "monkey"; and the seemingly weak and sweet yet noble Thomas, his mother's gentle "bunny." From childhood, Dominick fights for both separation and wholeness--and ultimately self-protection--in a house of fear dominated by Ray, a bully who abuses his power over these stepsons whose biological father is a mystery. I was still afraid of his anger but saw how he punished weakness--pounced on it. Out of self-preservation I hid my fear, Dominick confesses. As for Thomas, he just never knew how to play defense. He just didn't get it. But Dominick's talent for survival comes at an enormous cost, including the breakup of his marriage to the warm, beautiful Dessa, whom he still loves. And it will be put to the ultimate test when Thomas, a Bible-spouting zealot, commits an unthinkable act that threatens the tenuous balance of both his and Dominick's lives. To save himself, Dominick must confront not only the pain of his past but the dark secrets he has locked deep within himself, and the sins of his ancestors--a quest that will lead him beyond the confines of his blue-collar New England town to the volcanic foothills of Sicily 's Mount Etna, where his ambitious and vengefully proud grandfather and a namesake Domenico Tempesta, the sostegno del famiglia, was born. Each of the stories Ma told us about Papa reinforced the message that he was the boss, that he ruled the roost, that what he said went. Searching for answers, Dominick turns to the whispers of the dead, to the pages of his grandfather's handwritten memoir, The History of Domenico Onofrio Tempesta, a Great Man from Humble Beginnings. Rendered with touches of magic realism, Domenico's fablelike tale--in which monkeys enchant and religious statues weep--becomes the old man's confession--an unwitting legacy of contrition that reveals the truth's of Domenico's life, Dominick learns that power, wrongly used, defeats the oppressor as well as the oppressed, and now, picking through the humble shards of his deconstructed life, he will search for the courage and love to forgive, to expiate his and his ancestors' transgressions, and finally to rebuild himself beyond the haunted shadow of his twin. Set against the vivid panoply of twentieth-century America and filled with richly drawn, memorable characters, this deeply moving and thoroughly satisfying novel brings to light humanity's deepest needs and fears, our aloneness, our desire for love and acceptance, our struggle to survive at all costs. Joyous, mystical, and exquisitely written, I Know This Much Is True is an extraordinary reading experience that will leave no reader untouched.

Download or read book The Great Big Book of Baby Names written by Cleveland Kent Evans and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 616 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This fabulous resource lists thousands of baby names from various ethnicities; most entries include origin and popularity information, as well as interesting facts. » Other spellings, variations from around the world, and listings of famous people are included to provide a wealth of information about the names. » Fun lists give parents more naming ideas: colors, names of scientists, Harry Potter characters, Nobel Prize winners, country music singers, etc. » The introduction provides helpful advice for naming babies and lists the most popular names from around the world.

Download or read book The One in a Million Baby Name Book written by Jennifer Moss and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2008-07-01 with total page 628 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From one of the top parenting websites' a comprehensive naming guide featuring the unique Babynames.com popularity ratings. Forget those traditional lists of names and their meanings-in guiding readers step-by-step through the naming process, as well as the seven things to consider, this book will help parents decide upon a name perfectly suited to their child and family. The only baby name book to draw upon the opinions of 1.2 million parents, each listing features a popularity rating derived from website feedback as well as the top personality traits associated with the name. Readers can also browse lists of names organized in unique ways such as names for sports fans or fiction lovers, and names to be avoided.

Download or read book Good Night Connecticut written by Christina Vrba and published by Good Night Books. This book was released on 2012-07-09 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This soothing nightime board book gives young readers an upfront and personal tour of the scenic state of Connecticut. Children quickly recognize their most cherished icons and landmarks including Long Island Sound and the coast, tall ships of Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium, Dinosaur State Park, Essex Steam Train, Mark Twain House and Museum, Lake Compounce, old stone walls, USS Nautilus, Connecticut River and ferry boats, Gillette Castle, Huskies, and more.

Download or read book The Best Gender Neutral Baby Name Book written by Melanie Mannarino and published by S&S/Simon Element. This book was released on 2019-07-16 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The ultimate collection of unique, unisex baby names—from traditional to modern—including the origin and history of the name, and any cultural icons (men or women) who share the name. What’s in a name? A lot. For generations, they’ve indicated a lot about a person: their family history, personality traits, and qualities—and let’s not forget about nicknames, both good and bad. But while a name may have special significance to the parents who choose it, when you stop and think about it, there’s little else it can reveal about a baby, or the adult that child grows into. Try to accurately imagine what a kid named Frankie looks like...he could be a preschool boy who loves to paint or a teenage girl who is the star of her track team. Same goes for Casey, Jamie, or Taylor. Just as we no longer automatically choose “girl” (pink) or “boy” (blue) colors, today’s parents want their child to have a unique name that defies stereotypes. This one-of-a-kind book compiles the best gender-neutral baby names for your child, along with fun “Top 5 Lists that Make Unique Baby Names” sprinkled throughout (including foods, mythological places, surnames, and more). Use as a guide or read it cover to cover—or dip into specific chapters if you’ve already got a first letter in mind. Have fun, be creative, and know that whatever name you choose, your baby will be a unique and amazing person who defines themselves.

Download or read book Connecticut State Greats written by Carole Marsh and published by Carole Marsh Books. This book was released on 1994 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Parent Soup Baby Name Finder written by Kate Hanley and published by McGraw-Hill. This book was released on 1998 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The parents of the "Parent's Soup" Web site offer suggestions for 15,000 names for babies, including tips and inspiration taken from conversations with actual parents.

Download or read book The Ultimate Baby Name Book written by Cleveland Kent Evans and published by Plume Books. This book was released on 1994 with total page 552 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes popular names for girls and boys with additional lists of popular names in Arabic, French, German, Irish, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Swahili, and Swedish, and celebrities who have changed their names.

Download or read book Connecticut and Other State Greats Biographies written by Carole Marsh and published by Carole Marsh Books. This book was released on 1994 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Connecticut Churchman written by and published by . This book was released on 1880 with total page 862 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Becoming Tom Thumb written by Eric D. Lehman and published by Wesleyan University Press. This book was released on 2012-01-01 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An “evocative and entertaining” biography of the nineteenth century circus performer who became a global phenomenon (Neil Harris, author of Humbug). When P. T. Barnum met twenty-five-inch-tall Charles Stratton at a Bridgeport, Connecticut hotel in 1843, one of the most important partnerships in entertainment history was born. With Barnum’s promotional skills and the miniature Stratton’s comedic talents, they charmed a Who’s Who of the nineteenth century, from Queen Victoria to Charles Dickens to Abraham Lincoln. Adored worldwide as “General Tom Thumb,” Stratton played to sold-out shows for almost forty years. From his days as a precocious child star to his tragic early death, Becoming Tom Thumb tells the full story of this iconic figure for the first time. It details his triumphs on the New York stage, his epic celebrity wedding, and his around-the-world tour, drawing on newly available primary sources and interviews. From the mansions of Paris to the deserts of Australia, Stratton’s unique brand of Yankee comedy not only earned him the accolades of millions of fans, it helped move little people out of the side show and into the limelight.

Download or read book The Western Reserve written by Harlan Hatcher and published by . This book was released on 1966 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book What Not to Name Your Baby written by Joe Borgenicht and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-05-11 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The perfect antidote to the boring baby-naming books -- a hilarious guide for expecting parents on what NOT to name their baby! What better way to choose the perfect name than by ruling out those names that are off-limits? Joe Borgenicht offers more than a thousand names, complete with pronunciation and definitions, that absolutely, positively cannot be used for a child. But don't worry, there are exceptions to the rules, and a lot of names will work just fine, especially if there's something wrong with you. Sections of the book include: "Movie Mania" (Morhpeus, Maverick, and Starsky); "It's the 21st Century: Move On!" (Murray, Irving, and Ethel); and "Shop at the Mall, Not the Nursery" (Timberland, Lucky, and Armani). There are hilarious sidebars and lists, like: "Infamous Dictators" (Saddam, Benito, and Manuel); "Famous Sidekicks" (Robin, Tonto, and Garfunkel); and "First Voted Off the Island" Survivors (Sonja, Debb, and Peter); and more! We've all heard the bad ones: Moon Unit (Zappa), Sailor Lee (Brinkley), Chastity (Bono). With an edgy and often politically incorrect sense of humor, What Not to Name Your Baby is certain to help expecting parents be creative, without scarring their child for life -- at least not with a name.

Download or read book The Baby Name Countdown written by Janet Schwegel and published by Da Capo Lifelong Books. This book was released on 2009-03-25 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A classic, the baby name countdown (over 120,000 copies sold) is now fully revised and updated for the first time in a decade. Featuring more names than any other guide and based on more than 2.5 million birth records, the book includes brand-new data, a new introduction, a revised section on the most popular baby names of the past year and decade, and updated popularity ratings throughout. Discover at a glance the most popular given names from each decade of the 20th and 21st centuries, meanings and origins of the 3,000 top names, and thousands of rare and exotic monikers. Whether your taste in names is trendy, traditional, or international, The Baby Name Countdown is the ideal resource for every parent searching for the perfect name.

Download or read book Family Law and Practice written by Arnold H. Rutkin and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book American Heirloom Baby Names written by Charlotte Danforth and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2006-06-27 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Names have power! A child’s name—and the source of that name—can have a profound effect on their character and future. Use this book to pick a name that expresses the lasting qualities valued by your family—qualities like integrity, creativity, courage, innovation, compassion and patriotism. Gathered from the pages of our history books and rooted in the nation’s heartland, the names in this book are appealing and timeless. They are the names of real-life American poets and soldiers, artists and pioneers, entrepreneurs, teachers and athletes; people whose professions ranged from venerable statesmen like William Jennings Bryan to lighthouse keepers like Barbara Mabrity. Distinctive and prestigious, these names can give your child an instant, natural role model—the heroes and positive idols who have had that name before. The entries in this magnificent baby name book include: • Wonderful classic names and moving descriptions of the heroic Americans who bore them • References to writings by and about each namesake that families can enjoy together • Historic sites related to each heirloom name suitable for family field trips • Famous names in all ethnic groups • The greatest names in medicine, law, statecraft, sports, business, philanthropy, exploration, invention, and more!

Download or read book The Connecticut Magazine written by William Farrand Felch and published by . This book was released on 1900 with total page 726 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: