Inspired by the author’s childhood experience in the deep countryside of his native country, the Republic of the Congo, Tales from the Great Marsh represents a collection of short stories which illustrate a complex picture of life in a contemporary African society still rooted in its traditional beliefs and practices. Through short fictional stories, the author explores the complexity of social, cultural as well as religious, and spiritual experiences of a Bantu rural society when confronted with the challenges posed by specific existential situations such as death and modern politics, as well as the challenges posed by the encounter with the otherness. These fictional stories which marry myth and reality, are deployed towards producing knowledge that takes into account the surviving cultural aspects of old African societies formerly considered minor in studies of the continent’s past and present.

Marsh Tales is a delight, a sort of oral history of the outlaw gunners and other salty oldtime waterfowlers that for the first time gives me the flavor of their speech, the feeling of, yes, this is the way it must have been. Don't expect any apologies here -- this is a book about life as it was lived in another time, ribald, salty, anti-authoritarian and lawless. -- Gray's Sporting JournalMore than a hundred stories are gathered here, full of adventure, high jinks, and one-step-ahead-of-the-warden mischief, along with pictures and brief biographies of the fifteen men who told them.

Mr. Scott believes he has found a formula for becoming a millionaire in less than 30 days. There is a problem. He lives in total chaos with his wife and young children. What follows is a roller coaster ride of misadventures - both serious and hilarious. This genre-defying novel is a series of short stories woven together as part of a powerful tale.

From beyond the black stump to the Australian Alps; in schools on stations, missions, mines and over the air, it takes a special kind of person to be an outback teacher. Back then, not only did we have to teach the three Rs but also sewing, arts and craft, music, physical education - you name it. Plus there were the duties of gardener, cleaner, nurse, registrar, office administrator, free milk dispenser, librarian and, on occasions, school bus driver. Oh, and in one school I was even responsible for 'mother craft'. And being male and just nineteen, as I was at the time, you might imagine my surprise when a young girl asked me, 'Sir, what's the best milk for babies?' Master storyteller Bill 'Swampy' Marsh has travelled the width and breadth of Australia to bring together yet another memorable collection of stories. This time he has met with many of our extraordinary outback teachers and their students whose recollections so perfectly capture those special days of growing up in the bush.

The 'TRICK OR TREAT Boxed Set: 200+ Eerie Tales from the Greatest Storytellers' represents an unparalleled assembly of haunting narratives that traverse multiple eras, celebrating the richness and diversity of literary craft. This anthology weaves together an intricate tapestry of themes, including the macabre, the supernatural, and the psychological, presented through a variety of literary forms. From the ghostly pages of traditional gothic to the unsettling realms of psychological horror, the collection stands as a testament to the genre's evolution, showcasing seminal works that have shaped the landscape of dark fiction. Noteworthy are the pieces that challenge the boundaries of horror, merging with science fiction, fantasy, and mystery, broadening the readers horizon of fear and fascination. The contributing authors to this grand volume, including luminaries such as Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, and H. P. Lovecraft, among others, bring with them a rich diversity of historical, cultural, and literary backgrounds. Their collected works represent various movements, from Romanticism to Realism to Modernism, underscoring how the themes of fear, the paranormal, and the uncanny have been explored across different cultures and epochs. This amalgamation of perspectives not only showcases the individual genius of the authors but also how they collectively contribute to the horror genres enduring legacy and its capability to probe the human psyche. For aficionados of the eerie, the 'TRICK OR TREAT Boxed Set' offers an invaluable gateway into the expanse of the horror and supernatural genres, presenting an exceptional opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of ghostly tales. Encouraging a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship behind each terrifying story, this collection serves both as an educational tool and a source of entertainment. Readers are invited to immerse themselves in this meticulously curated anthology, to explore the nuances of fear, and to engage in the ongoing dialogue between these master storytellers and the dark corners of the imagination.

Four seasons of immersion in New England’s Great Marsh “Like Wendell Berry and Rachel Carson, Hanlon is a true poet-ecologist, sharing in exquisitely resonant prose her patient observations of nature’s most intimate details. As she and her husband, through summer and snow, swim their local creeks and estuaries, we marvel at the timeless yet fragile terrain of both marshlands and marriage. This is the book to awaken all of us, right now, to how our coastline is changing and what it means for our future.” —Julia Glass, author of Three Junes and A House Among the Trees The Great Marsh is the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. Patricia Hanlon and her husband built their home and raised their children alongside it. But it is not until the children are grown that they begin to swim the tidal estuary daily. Immersing herself, she experiences, with all her senses in all seasons, the vigor of a place where the two ecosystems of fresh and salt water mix, merge, and create new life. In Swimming to the Top of the Tide, Hanlon lyrically charts her explorations, at once intimate and scientific. Noting the disruptions caused by human intervention, she bears witness to the vitality of the watersheds, their essential role in the natural world, and the responsibility of those who love them to contribute to their sustainability. Patricia Hanlon is a visual artist who paints the beautiful ecosystem of New England’s Great Marsh and is involved in the watershed organizations of Greater Boston. Swimming to the Top of the Tide is her first book.