A collection of 101 short essays and tributes to unsung heroes, recognizing and expressing appreciation for the hidden "gifts" that life's journey brings. Excellent for use as gifts and premiums, as well as for personal enrichment and enjoyment. John Wayne "Jack" Schlatter, author of some of the most beloved stories in the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, now comes forth with his own collection of inspirational writings. Sharing lessons, insights, and humor gathered over 35 years in the classroom and as a member of one of the most amazing families in America, he will touch your heart, tickle your funny bone, and enrich your wisdom. Three of his stories in particular have had a tremendous impact on the American culture. "I Am a Teacher" is one of the most widely read and reprinted tributes of the last ten years. "The Simple Gesture" has been known to save lives and form new friendships and has been rewritten and retold throughout the nation. "The Magic Pebbles" received a great compliment from Jack Canfield, coauthor of the "Chicken Soup" series. Asked by Modern Woodman magazine to choose the single story which meant the most to him, he named "The Magic Pebbles." Inspired by Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, whose dreams "woke him up," Mr. Schlatter has become aware of the countless gifts left by the side of the road of life. In this book he shares his discoveries. "Jack Schlatter is a charismatic, consummate communicator who will have you laughing through your tears as he squeezes your heart with timeless truths." - MARK VICTOR HANSEN, Co-Author of "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. "Do not pass up the opportunity to be entertained and inspired by this amazing human being." - JACK CANFIELD, Co-Author of "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. "Every person should have a copy of this book on their bedside table for a last thought at night or a first thought in the morning. I would have loved this book if I had never met the author, but I have had the immense pleasure of watching Jack give a gift to every person he comes in contact with. He has the sensitivity to help each person he meets to get in touch with their "Real Self" the true person inside, even if it is just for a moment. It is his unconditional love for each and every person he has the blessing to come into contact with that allows those people to also see and feel themselves as Jack sees them, as a beautiful creation, worthy of the best that this world has to offer, to be acknowledged for who they really are. I have seen the light come to their eyes. Jack is at his best with young people; just a touch of Jack goes a long way in helping them know their real value. I think Jack's greatest gift is his ability to see beyond exterior behavior to the pure essence of everyone he comes in contact with, and more so helps them to see it also. His gift for putting in words what most of us only feel when we are in our deepest self is one of the most amazing talents I have witnessed. It has been one of the great pleasures in my life to have known him personally and through his works, and I would want to share that experience with as many people as possible." - Ann Friedly

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • BOOKER PRIZE NOMINEE • From the beloved Pulitzer Prize–winning author, a sparkling novel about misperception, second chances, and the sometimes elusive power of human connection. Micah Mortimer is a creature of habit. A self-employed tech expert, superintendent of his Baltimore apartment building, cautious to a fault behind the steering wheel, he seems content leading a steady, circumscribed life. But one day his routines are blown apart when his woman friend (he refuses to call anyone in her late thirties a "girlfriend") tells him she's facing eviction, and a teenager shows up at Micah's door claiming to be his son. These surprises, and the ways they throw Micah's meticulously organized life off-kilter, risk changing him forever. An intimate look into the heart and mind of a man who finds those around him just out of reach, and a funny, joyful, deeply compassionate story about seeing the world through new eyes, Redhead by the Side of the Road is a triumph, filled with Anne Tyler's signature wit and gimlet-eyed observation.

This beloved account about an intrepid young Englishman on the first leg of his walk from London to Constantinople is simply one of the best works of travel literature ever written. At the age of eighteen, Patrick Leigh Fermor set off from the heart of London on an epic journey—to walk to Constantinople. A Time of Gifts is the rich account of his adventures as far as Hungary, after which Between the Woods and the Water continues the story to the Iron Gates that divide the Carpathian and Balkan mountains. Acclaimed for its sweep and intelligence, Leigh Fermor’s book explores a remarkable moment in time. Hitler has just come to power but war is still ahead, as he walks through a Europe soon to be forever changed—through the Lowlands to Mitteleuropa, to Teutonic and Slav heartlands, through the baroque remains of the Holy Roman Empire; up the Rhine, and down to the Danube. At once a memoir of coming-of-age, an account of a journey, and a dazzling exposition of the English language, A Time of Gifts is also a portrait of a continent already showing ominous signs of the holocaust to come.

A picture book biography by an award-winning team about the first woman to ride a motorcycle around the world One day, a girl gets on her motorcycle and rides away. She wants to wander the world. To go . . . Elsewhere. This is the true story of the first woman to ride a motorcycle around the world alone. Each place has something to teach her. Each place is beautiful. And despite many flat tires and falls, she learns to always get back up and keep riding. Award-winning author Amy Novesky and Governor General's Award-winning illustrator Julie Morstad have teamed up for a spectacular celebration of girl power and resilience.

From the bestselling author of UNDERLAND, THE OLD WAYS and THE LOST WORDS - an essay on the joy of reading, for anyone who has ever loved a book Every book is a kind of gift to its reader, and the act of giving books is charged with a special emotional resonance. It is a meeting of three minds (the giver, the author, the recipient), an exchange of intellectual and psychological currency, that leaves each participant enriched. Here Robert Macfarlane recounts the story of a book he was given as a young man, and how he managed eventually to return the favour, though never repay the debt. From one of the most lyrical writers of our time comes a perfectly formed gem, a lyrical celebration of the transcendent power and humanity of the given book.

TARA COLE SPECIALIZES IN REVENGE In fact, she's an expert. Lace pillows filled with cat hair-for your least-favorite, most allergic relative; boxer shorts that set off metal detectors-for your cheating spouse; and her best seller at RevengeGifts.com: chocolates for your worst enemy, so you can watch gleefully as she packs on the pounds. Tara's best friend warns her that all this revenge is damaging her karma, but Tara doesn't care about her next life-she wants to enjoy this one. Besides, her kitchen is full of cranky ghosts. Tara figures she'll be the same one day, when she leaves the mortal plane. That might happen sooner than she thought, because someone has put a curse on her. A black cat, a black dog, even a black goat, appear, each followed by bizarre, almost-disastrous events. And it all started around the time Howard showed up. Howard says he wants to go into business with Tara, but it seems like he wants to go to bed with her. Unless he's the one who cursed her . . . . Is this karma coming full circle-or destiny knocking on Tara's door?

Ross Bentley has powerful supernatural gifts: he can bend matter with only his thoughts, and predict the future with amazing accuracy. But this doesn't stop him feeling alone and miserable when he's cut off from family and friends, stuck in a remote farmhouse with Hunter, the Guild-member tasked with protecting and training him. Suddenly the monotony is broken - Hunter is summoned by the Guild. A gifted child has been kidnapped. Hunter needs to track her down, and he has no choice but to take Ross with him. The search for the missing child, and the dangers it uncovers, take Ross to the darkest place he's ever been. He must face danger and great grief and learn to harness his powers to face down his greatest nemesis yet ...