Along the Tracks
Title | Along the Tracks PDF eBook |
Author | Tamar Bergman |
Publisher | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |
Pages | 260 |
Release | 1995-09-25 |
Genre | Juvenile Nonfiction |
ISBN | 9780395745137 |
Recounts the adventures of a young Jewish boy who is driven from his home by the German invasion, becomes a refugee in the Soviet Union, is separated from his family, and undergoes many hardships before enjoying a normal home again.
Blood on the Tracks
Title | Blood on the Tracks PDF eBook |
Author | Willson, S. Brian |
Publisher | PM Press |
Pages | 749 |
Release | 2011-08-01 |
Genre | Biography & Autobiography |
ISBN | 160486592X |
“We are not worth more, they are not worth less.” This is the mantra of S. Brian Willson and the theme that runs throughout his compelling psycho-historical memoir. Willson’s story begins in small-town, rural America, where he grew up as a “Commie-hating, baseball-loving Baptist,” moves through life-changing experiences in Viet Nam, Nicaragua and elsewhere, and culminates with his commitment to a localized, sustainable lifestyle. In telling his story, Willson provides numerous examples of the types of personal, risk-taking, nonviolent actions he and others have taken in attempts to educate and effect political change: tax refusal—which requires simplification of one’s lifestyle; fasting—done publicly in strategic political and/or therapeutic spiritual contexts; and obstruction tactics—strategically placing one’s body in the way of “business as usual.” It was such actions that thrust Brian Willson into the public eye in the mid-’80s, first as a participant in a high-profile, water-only “Veterans Fast for Life” against the Contra war being waged by his government in Nicaragua. Then, on a fateful day in September 1987, the world watched in horror as Willson was run over by a U.S. government munitions train during a nonviolent blocking action in which he expected to be removed from the tracks and arrested. Losing his legs only strengthened Willson’s identity with millions of unnamed victims of U.S. policy around the world. He provides details of his travels to countries in Latin America and the Middle East and bears witness to the harm done to poor people as well as to the environment by the steamroller of U.S. imperialism. These heart-rending accounts are offered side by side with inspirational stories of nonviolent struggle and the survival of resilient communities Willson’s expanding consciousness also uncovers injustices within his own country, including insights gained through his study and service within the U.S. criminal justice system and personal experiences addressing racial injustices. He discusses coming to terms with his identity as a Viet Nam veteran and the subsequent service he provides to others as director of a veterans outreach center in New England. He draws much inspiration from friends he encounters along the way as he finds himself continually drawn to the path leading to a simpler life that seeks to “do no harm.&rdquo Throughout his personal journey Willson struggles with the question, “Why was it so easy for me, a ’good’ man, to follow orders to travel 9,000 miles from home to participate in killing people who clearly were not a threat to me or any of my fellow citizens?” He eventually comes to the realization that the “American Way of Life” is AWOL from humanity, and that the only way to recover our humanity is by changing our consciousness, one individual at a time, while striving for collective cultural changes toward “less and local.” Thus, Willson offers up his personal story as a metaphorical map for anyone who feels the need to be liberated from the American Way of Life—a guidebook for anyone called by conscience to question continued obedience to vertical power structures while longing to reconnect with the human archetypes of cooperation, equity, mutual respect and empathy.
Beyond the Tracks
Title | Beyond the Tracks PDF eBook |
Author | Michael Reit |
Publisher | Michael Reit |
Pages | 364 |
Release | 2020-09-17 |
Genre | History |
ISBN |
Berlin, 1938 It’s no longer safe here. When the Jewish families of Berlin start disappearing in nightly raids, 21-year-old Jacob Kagan knows it’s only a matter of time before the trucks come for him. Along with his family and best friend, he flees the country he’s always called home to find shelter in a Dutch refugee camp. Before long, the Netherlands falls to the Nazi war machine — Jacob’s new home is transformed into a transit camp with weekly trains bound for the horrors of the Eastern concentration camps. Handpicked by the cruel new SS regime to police the camp’s Jewish population, Jacob has the opportunity to save his parents and best friend from the dreaded transport lists — but at what cost? Based on true events, Beyond the Tracks is a redemptive story of unconditional loyalty and a will to survive at impossible odds.
Crossing the Tracks
Title | Crossing the Tracks PDF eBook |
Author | Barbara Stuber |
Publisher | Simon and Schuster |
Pages | 274 |
Release | 2010-07-06 |
Genre | Young Adult Fiction |
ISBN | 1416997059 |
At fifteen, Iris is a hobo of sorts—no home, no family, no plan. Her mother died when she was six, and her selfish father hires her out as a companion to a country doctor’s elderly mother. Iris, stuck in the middle of 1920s rural Missouri, discovers that "hobo" is short for "homeward bound," and cultivates an eccentric cast of folks into family, creating the home she never had. But when she learns that a neighboring tenant farmer may have had more than his hands on his pregnant daughter, Iris must intervene to save the girl and her unborn baby. The many facets of what makes a family are illuminated with warmth and charm in this beautifully crafted tale.
Running Tracks
Title | Running Tracks PDF eBook |
Author | Rob Deering |
Publisher | Unbound Publishing |
Pages | 188 |
Release | 2021-08-05 |
Genre | Sports & Recreation |
ISBN | 1800180454 |
Rob Deering has been listening to music his whole life, but it was only in his mid-thirties that – much to his surprise – he found himself falling in love with the hugely popular, nearly perfect, sometimes preposterous activity of running In this vividly conjured collection, Rob shares stories of when a run, a place and a tune come together in a life-defining moment. His adventures in running have spanned four continents, fifteen marathons and numberless miles of park and pavement, and the carefully chosen music streaming through his headphones has spurred him forward throughout. What makes the perfect running tune? Where can you find the best routes, even in an unfamiliar town? Why do people put themselves through marathons? In Running Tracks, Rob Deering shares his sometimes surprising answers to these questions, and explains how a hobby became an obsession that changed his life forever.
Tracks in the Snow
Title | Tracks in the Snow PDF eBook |
Author | Wong Herbert Yee |
Publisher | Macmillan |
Pages | 36 |
Release | 2007-10-16 |
Genre | Juvenile Fiction |
ISBN | 9780312371340 |
A winter wonderland excursion that leads to many discoveries in the snow.
Big Book of Backing Tracks
Title | Big Book of Backing Tracks PDF eBook |
Author | Chad Johnson |
Publisher | Hal Leonard Corporation |
Pages | 322 |
Release | 2014-09-01 |
Genre | Music |
ISBN | 1495002853 |
(Guitar). This book contains a collection of 200 chord progressions over which you can practice your latest and greatest licks, plus audio demos of every single one. The audio tracks range from approximately one minute (for the short progressions) to four minutes or more (for the full-length "song" progressions), and numerous styles, keys, and tempos are covered to make sure you're well-versed in practically every style. Rest assured, you'll get plenty of time to milk your melodies for all they're worth! Whether you're a rocker, a jazzer, a bluesman, or a bluegrasser, the Big Book of Backing Tracks has plenty for you.