One of Ireland's most important writers at his finest. Written over a period of twelve years, these stories seem to move nowehere with relentless, slow precision, yet each is as fulfilling and rich with suggestion as a full-scale novel.

An exhilarating travelogue for a new generation about a journey along Colombia’s Magdalena River, exploring life by the banks of a majestic river now at risk, and how a country recovers from conflict. "Richly observed." —Liesl Schillinger, The New York Times Book Review An American writer of Argentine, Syrian, and Iraqi Jewish descent, Jordan Salama tells the story of the Río Magdalena, nearly one thousand miles long, the heart of Colombia. This is Gabriel García Márquez’s territory—rumor has it Macondo was partly inspired by the port town of Mompox—as much as that of the Middle Eastern immigrants who run fabric stores by its banks. Following the river from its source high in the Andes to its mouth on the Caribbean coast, journeying by boat, bus, and improvised motobalinera, Salama writes against stereotype and toward the rich lives of those he meets. Among them are a canoe builder, biologists who study invasive hippopotamuses, a Queens transplant managing a failing hotel, a jeweler practicing the art of silver filigree, and a traveling librarian whose donkeys, Alfa and Beto, haul books to rural children. Joy, mourning, and humor come together in this astonishing debut, about a country too often seen as only a site of war, and a tale of lively adventure following a legendary river.

A man must confront a terrifying evil in this captivating horror novel that's "as much F. Scott Fitzgerald as Dean Koontz."* Haunted by memories of the Great War, failed academic Frank Nichols and his wife have arrived in the sleepy Georgia town of Whitbrow, where Frank hopes to write a history of his family's old estate--the Savoyard Plantation--and the horrors that occurred there. At first their new life seems to be everything they wanted. But under the facade of summer socials and small-town charm, there is an unspoken dread that the townsfolk have lived with for generations. A presence that demands sacrifice. It comes from the shadowy woods across the river, where the ruins of the Savoyard Plantation still stand. Where a long-smoldering debt of blood has never been forgotten. Where it has been waiting for Frank Nichols....

The River's Gift Tilly learns that being nice makes life the most fun as she takes care of a thirsty birds. Summary: In "The River's Gift," a beautiful story, readers meet Tilly, a lively and curious young girl who sees a thirsty bird in her backyard and goes on an unexpected trip of empathy and self-discovery. The story does a great job of teaching lessons about the value of being kind, persistent, and appreciating the beauty around us through Tilly's adventures. Tilly's journey through the book is driven by her finding the thirsty bird at the beginning. Even though her path isn't easy, she is motivated to get water because she knows what the bird needs. Her journey takes her through the garden, over organic barriers, and to listen to the river and an old tree for wisdom. It is also emotional and spiritual, showing her how important it is to connect with others and understand their feelings. Tilly reads each part of "The River's Gift" because she wants to know how big of an effect small acts of kindness can have. From the moment she sees that the bird's water bowl is empty until it sings its thanks, Tilly changes and learns. She faces many problems along the way, but she keeps going because she is determined and has learned to value nature's wisdom. The wise old tree and the river teach Tilly and her readers about the flow of kindness and how it can keep lives going and make them better. When Tilly gives the bird water to quench its thirst at the end of the story, it represents the satisfaction of a deeper emotional need as well as the desire to give and receive kindness. Just as the bird's sweet thank-you song fills the air, Tilly realizes that the real gifts are the happiness and understanding she gets from being kind, not the water itself. The story "The River's Gift" is beautifully written and has a strong message about how important it is to be kind, even though the plot is simple. Giving things away instead of keeping them can make you happy, and small acts of kindness can make a big difference in the world. Young readers can learn from Tilly's story that helping others can bring a lot of happiness. This makes "The River's Gift" a timeless story of kindness and generosity. Chapter 1: How Tilly was found Tilly was a little girl whose heart was as big as her mind. She lived in a sunny part of a backyard full of flowers of every color you can think of and the sounds of nature filled the air. There was a scene that stopped Tilly in her tracks as she walked around this small haven. Her eyes were wide with wonder at everything she saw. Hidden under a green plant was a small bird. Tilly had never seen this kind of bird before. It was happy flying from tree to tree. It didn't have bright, shiny feathers; instead, they were frayed and dirty. It also didn't make much noise—not even a happy song. Its voice was so soft that if you weren't paying close attention, you might have missed it. Because Tilly was interested and cared about it, she got down next to the bird and stared at it softly. Its small chest heaved hard, and she saw that its beak got longer, like it was looking for something. Tilly knew right away that the bird needed water more than anything else. She was so determined that it made her heart grow. She was aware of what she had to do. That wasn't the only reason she wanted to help; she thought it was her duty to make sure this young bird that had gotten into her garden got the care it needed. When Tilly found out this, it was the start of an unbelievable trip. She made up her mind right away to go look for some water for the thirsty bird. Tilly's garden, which was a place of fun and discovery, was the starting point for a wonderful trip. No longer was it enough to just play and make up stories; the goal was to make a difference in the world, no matter how small. Tilly learned that small things could mean a lot to someone else. In this case, it was a little bird that was thirsty and needed help. Tilly worked on the project with as much drive as the sky is blue. She made herself into a hero in one of her stories, on a quest for something much more important than fame or money: the chance to be nice and make the world a little better. She had never been so happy and felt like she had a purpose in life as when she thought about helping the bird. It looks like she found out a secret: the best way to be happy is to give rather than receive. Tilly learned something new from what she found in her backyard that she thought she already knew. She learned that we could find things to do and chances to do good right in our own neighborhoods. All you need is a lot of heart and a little insight. This bird, with its dead feathers and weak voice, was about to take Tilly on an adventure she could never have imagined. This trip will not only change the bird's life, but it will also teach Tilly how important it is to care about other people and how fun it is to help them. Thoughts of excitement and fear filled Tilly's heart as she got ready to go find water. She had no idea where the search would lead her or what problems she would have to deal with. She was determined to get the bird's water back. This quest began when the thirsty bird was found. It was the start of an amazing and interesting adventure. One where a little girl's heart showed the way and kindness won out. This was the beginning of Tilly's journey, which showed her and everyone who heard her story how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in the world. Chapter 2: The Empty Space In the middle of her new mission to save the thirsty bird, Tilly noticed something simple but important that would change the course of her journey: the bird's water bowl was empty. Still, Tilly saw this as more than just an empty plate. She saw it as a small but important plea for help. When she realized this, she felt like she had more responsibilities. To be kind, she learned, one must first pay attention and look beyond what people say to find the needs that are hidden in the world's quiet places. Tilly saw more than just the broken and dry bottom of the bowl when she looked inside. She saw an image of what it meant to be human. The dust that had built up there suggested that it had been missed rather than being deliberately ignored. For Tilly, it was a wake-up call that people who need help don't always know how to ask for it. They suffer in silence, hoping that someone will notice, care, and do something. Tilly's first lesson in kindness was taught in this empty bowl, a small, unimportant part of the backyard. The lesson stressed how important it is to think about other people, especially those whose words aren't loud enough to be heard. This lesson wasn't just about putting water in a bowl; it was about meeting a need and understanding that all living things have basic needs that must be met before we can be kind to them. Tilly felt like she had a reason for living. She saw that there were lots of chances to make the world a better place, a world she thought she knew. The empty bowl represented more than just thirst; it also showed how much we need to care and act in a world that ignores even the smallest calls for help far too often. The dry, sandy area came to stand for Tilly's goal. Truthfully being kind is more than just words and thoughts, it made her remember that. She learned that being kind isn't just an emotion, but also a choice and a set of acts that come from having a strong sense of empathy and compassion. She would use what she learned not only when she tried to help the bird, but also whenever she talked to other people. Tilly learned that she needed to listen with her whole being, watch with her eyes, and really want to help the people around her in order to meet their needs. It was a turning point for Tilly when she stood in front of the empty water bowl. Now she was able to step outside of her own life and see herself through the eyes of someone else. She felt connected to the bird, like they both knew what was important even though they were different. The empty bowl made her feel connected, which pushed her forward. It made her want to do more than just fill the bowl. It made her want to connect with others in a more caring and understanding way.

In the 1950s, a series of dams was proposed along the Brazos River in north-central Texas. For John Graves, this project meant that if the stream’s regimen was thus changed, the beautiful and sometimes brutal surrounding countryside would also change, as would the lives of the people whose rugged ancestors had eked out an existence there. Graves therefore decided to visit that stretch of the river, which he had known intimately as a youth. Goodbye to a River is his account of that farewell canoe voyage. As he braves rapids and fatigue and the fickle autumn weather, he muses upon old blood feuds of the region and violent skirmishes with native tribes, and retells wild stories of courage and cowardice and deceit that shaped both the river’s people and the land during frontier times and later. Nearly half a century after its initial publication, Goodbye to a River is a true American classic, a vivid narrative about an exciting journey and a powerful tribute to a vanishing way of life and its ever-changing natural environment.

Classic Torah concepts provide insight into dealing with problem areas of married life. A warm, profound guide for b'nei Torah.

Across much of the industrialized world, rivers that were physically transformed and ecologically ruined to facilitate industrial and agricultural development are now the focus of restoration and rehabilitation efforts. River Futures discusses the emergence of this new era of river repair and documents a comprehensive biophysical framework for river science and management. The book considers what can be done to maximize prospects for improving river health while maintaining or enhancing the provision of ecosystem services over the next fifty to one-hundred years. It provides a holistic overview of considerations that underpin the use of science in river management, emphasizing cross-disciplinary understanding that builds on a landscape template. The book frames the development of integrative river science and its application to river rehabilitation programs develops a coherent set of guiding principles with which to approach integrative river science considers the application of cross-disciplinary thinking in river rehabilitation experiences from around the world examines the crossover between science and management, outlining issues that must be addressed to promote healthier river futures Case studies explore practical applications in different parts of the world, highlighting approaches to the use of integrative river science, measures of success, and steps that could be taken to improve performance in future efforts. River Futures offers a positive, practical, and constructive focus that directly addresses the major challenge of a new era of river conservation and rehabilitation—that of bringing together the diverse and typically discipline-bound sets of knowledge and practices that are involved in repairing rivers. It is a valuable resource for anyone involved in river restoration and management, including restorationists, scientists, managers, and policymakers, as well as undergraduate and graduate students.