Twirlin' is a derivative of stepping, or step-dancing, in which a cane is used as a prop. This text covers the historical and recent account of how the a cultural trend transformed into a skill-set embraced by millions as a new art. Briefly tracing the culture surrounding the cane to tribal traditions indigenous to the Africa and Europe, this text links the influence of affluent wardrobe in early-industrial America's influence on the first generation emancipated African-American intellectuals. Finally, it addresses the information age's, YouTube revolution of documenting and sharing technique far beyond the physical bounds of the Kanemaster's travel schedule. Twirlin', like any artistic skill-set, will always be a work in progress, searching for the next great achievement in complexity and style. This volume is the first of its kind and commences an age of recognition for, what some are calling, a "lost art". The authors of Twirlin' are just a part of the optimistic few that are looking forward to what tomorrow brings.

“This grim and immersive thriller delivers suspense in the dark.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review Life in Bearmouth is one of hard labor and isolation, where daylight is a distant memory. Newt has lived in the mine since the age of four, and accepts everything from the harsh working conditions to the brutality of the overseers—until the mysterious Devlin arrives and Newt begins to ask, “Why?” Against a background of creeping violence and rising tensions, this question drives a chain of events that confronts both Newt’s identity and the pitiless Bearmouth system. With an utterly distinctive voice and propulsive storytelling, this darkly provocative thriller announces the arrival of a singular new talent in young adult literature.

Suspected of killing Vera Donovan, her wealthy employer, Dolores Claiborne tells police the story of her life, harkening back to her violent husband, disintegrating marriage and the suspicious death of Joe Claiborne thirty years earlier. Dolores also tells of Vera's physical and mental decline and of her loyalty to an employer who has become emotionally demanding in recent years.

When Carson first saw the town it seemed like a Godsend. Once he was inside he wasn't sure if he could ever leave. A supernatural force cursed the small boomtown of Black River that still persists and has Carson ensnared within its trap. With the help of an unlikely ally he will have to face an evil older than he could ever know that brought doom to every living inhabitant. But why? As Carson pieces together the history of the boomtown gone bust he'll face wild animals, Indian warriors, extreme temperatures, and worst of all black magic from an abominable source. All he wanted was a rest but he'll be lucky if he escapes with his skin.

Can the reading public imagine a less likely but more needed book than Stories for Men - a seventy-five-year- old anthology edited by Charles Grayson - written in an age when such a title would scarcely raise an eyebrow! Imagine a book about men in which the featured theme is not rapists, child abusers, or men who never weep, feel little sorrow, or prefer dog fighting to baseball.To say the least, this is a counter-cultural collective portrait necessary in today's politically correct world. The original editor, Charles Grayson, hit the nail on the head in his ""explicit"" opening remarks. ""The only claim we make for this book is that it doesn't pretend to offer the best, or the finest, in the world's foremost short stories by contemporary masters. Simply it is just a bundle of yarns by present day American writers, each dealing with a different phase of the actions and activities of men, designed for good reading."" The text fulfills its mission.The work features little known short stories by such major writers as Erskine Caldwell on racial relations, James M. Cain on murder, James T. Farrell on street life, Dashiell Hammett on men and divorce, Ring W. Lardner on baseball, Damon Runyon on football, William Saroyan on horseracing, Thomas Wolfe on travel, William Faulkner on foreigners, among many others. For readers interested in a slice of America, this will be a book of inestimable value as well as personal pleasure. Stories for Men will prove ideal.