This book comes from the playground of imagination. It is the work of a leading international specialist in New Testament studies with a passion for making the findings of New Testament research accessible for a wide readership. From children’s stories to liturgies, poems to subversively provocative fantasies, it invites the reader to play, to reflect, and to be confronted. This is a book to keep coming back to, rather than one to be read from cover to cover. It invites the reader to engage issues at the heart of faith and disbelief. It is a rich and challenging resource for personal and for group reflection. Some pieces will serve well as discussion starters. Some are for storytelling and celebration, including children’s stories with subtle hints for adult minds. Others belong in the context of worship. They are grouped broadly according to the church liturgical year: “Around Christmas”; “Around Easter”; “Around Pentecost”; and “Any Time.” Come and read! Come and play!

No profession pits man against nature more brutally than king crab fishing in the frigid, unpredictable waters of the Bering Sea. The yearly death toll is staggering (forty-two men in 1988 alone); the conditions are beyond most imaginations (90-mph Arctic winds, 25-foot seas, and super-human stretches of on-deck labor); but the payback, if one survives can be tens of thousands of dollars for a month-long season. In a breathtaking, action-packed account that combines his personal story with the stories of survivors of the industry's most harrowing disasters, Spike Walker re-creates the boom years of Alaskan crab fishing--a modern-day gold rush that drew hundreds of fortune-and adventure-hunters to Alaska's dangerous waters--and the crash that followed.

There is probably no national day that has such global popularity as St. Patrick’s Day. On St. Patrick’s Day, it is reputed that ‘Everyone is Irish’. What are the factors and factions that give the day such popular appeal? Is St. Patrick’s Day the same around the world – in Japan, Northern Ireland and Montserrat – as it is in the Republic of Ireland and the United States? Just how does ‘Irishness’ figure in the celebration and commemoration of St. Patrick’s Day, and how has this day been commoditized, consumed and contested? Does St. Patrick’s Day ‘belong’ to the people, the nation or the brewery? This edited volume brings together the best St. Patrick’s Day and Irish Studies scholars from the fields of history, anthropology, sociology, Irish studies, diaspora studies, and cultural studies. The volume thematically explores how St. Patrick’s Day has been consumed from the symbolic to the literal, the religious to the political. By doing so, it offers a fresh examination of its importance in contemporary society. This volume will thus appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students of Irish diaspora studies, and Irish historians and scholars, as well as to anthropology, sociology and cultural studies students interested in exploring St. Patrick’s Day as a case study of globalization, migration and commoditization.

Discover this evergreen destination with the most incisive and entertaining guidebook on the market. Whether you plan to ride the length of the wonderful Wild Atlantic Way, take a foodie tour of the southwest or discover a city reborn in Belfast, The Rough Guide to Ireland will show you the ideal places to sleep, eat, drink, shop and visit along the way. - Independent, trusted reviews written with Rough Guides' trademark blend of humour, honesty and insight, to help you get the most out of your visit, with options to suit every budget. - Full-colour maps throughout- navigate the backstreets of Dublin's Temple Bar or Derry's famous city walls without needing to get online. - Stunning images - a rich collection of inspiring colour photography. -Things not to miss - Rough Guides' rundown of Ireland's best sights and experiences. - Itineraries- carefully planned routes to help you organize your trip. -Detailed regional coverage- whether off the beaten track or in more mainstream tourist destinations, this travel guide has in-depth practical advice for every step of the way. Areas covered (all Ireland's counties) include: Dublin; the Midlands; Cavan; Mayo; Galway; Clare; Limerick; Kerry; Cork; Kilkenny; Kildare; Meath; Belfast; Antrim and Derry. Attractions include: The Giant's Causeway; Dublin's Trinity College; Titanic Belfast; the Wild Atlantic Way; Bruna Boinne; Skellig Michael; Kylemore Abbey; Bantry House; the Burren and Croagh Patrick. -Basics- essential pre-departure practical information including getting there, local transport, accommodation, food and drink, health, festivals, sports and outdoor activities, culture and etiquette, the media and more. -Background information - a Contexts chapter devoted to history, traditional music and literature,plus a handy language section and glossary. Make the Most of Your Time on Earth with The Rough Guide to Ireland.

Explore every corner of this fascinating island (North and South) with the fully revised 10th edition of the Rough Guide to Ireland, including the clearest maps of any guide. Get inspiration from the full-color introduction on where to go and what to see, from Dublin's elegant Georgian architecture and world-renowned pubs to the spectacular landscapes of the Burren and Connemara. Find in-depth, up-to-date descriptions of the best hotels and B&Bs, restaurants, and bars, including the top places to hear Irish music. Learn about Ireland's culture, with expert background on everything from traditional sports and music to history and literature. In addition, you'll find two full-color sections, describing Ireland's exuberant festivals and giving a detailed guide to the best of its underrated food and drink. Make the most of your time on earth with the Rough Guide to Ireland.

A NEW EDITION OF ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED BOOKS ON THE TROUBLES Branded as 'Bandit Country' by the British government, South Armagh was the heartland of the Provisional IRA. It was the rebel Irish stronghold where Thomas 'Slab' Murphy reigned supreme, bomb attacks on England were planned and the SAS tracked the IRA snipers who hunted British soldiers. In this acclaimed and remarkable book – originally published in 1999 – Toby Harnden, winner of the Orwell Prize, brings to bear his skills as a fearless journalist, inspired investigator and gifted historian, threatened with imprisonment for protecting his sources in Northern Ireland but undeterred. He draws on secret documents and unsparing interviews with key protagonists on both sides to produce perhaps the most compelling and essential account of the IRA and the Troubles.