Piggie and Gerald are out in the country and can see all the stars in all their gorgeousness. And then Gerald groans a big groan.īut then- at the very end of the book- the sun sets and the stars come out. Piggie always tells him that it’s worth it. The whole book follows Gerald trying to wait, but becoming super impatient and claiming he just can’t wait anymore. (In fact, that’s the title of this book.) Piggie won’t tell him and Gerald discovers that waiting is NOT easy. And Gerald just can’t wait for Piggie to tell him what the surprise is. There’s this one Elephant and Piggie book all about how Piggie has a big surprise for Gerald. The dialogue is illustrated by speech bubbles, like a comic strip for four-year-olds. They have completely different personalities but get along just great. The Elephant and Piggie books follow the many adventures of Gerald (an elephant) and Piggie who are best friends. Now all I can do is collect them so I can read them to my children someday. Seriously, my friend, I wish these books were around when I was a kid. Oh my goodness, they’re only the bestest best books, like, ever, in the history of the universe!! Have you heard of the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems? In the words of Gerald the Elephant, “Waiting is NOT easy.”
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Business Adventures is Bill Gates’ favorite business book of all time. Although written decades ago, the lessons learned are as applicable today as they were in 1969. This business classic written by longtime New Yorker contributor John Brooks is an insightful and engaging look into corporate and financial life in America. Business Adventures is a collection of Brooks’ New Yorker essays about why various companies succeeded or failed. John Brooks's insightful reportage is so full of personality and critical detail that whether he is looking at the astounding market crash of 1962, the collapse of a well-known brokerage firm, or the bold attempt by American bankers to save the British pound, one gets the sense that history really does repeat itself. Stories about Wall Street are infused with drama and adventure and reveal the machinations and volatile nature of the world of finance. These notable and fascinating accounts are as relevant today to understanding the intricacies of corporate life as they were when the events happened. 'The best business book I've ever read.' Bill Gates, Wall Street Journal 'The Michael Lewis of his day.' New York Times What do the $350 million Ford Motor Company disaster known as the Edsel, the fast and incredible rise of Xerox, and the unbelievable scandals at General Electric and Texas Gulf Sulphur have in common? Each is an example of how an iconic company was defined by a particular moment of fame or notoriety. The Fragments is undoubtedly Jordan’s finest work to date.Ĭhris Gordon is the events manager for Readings. If you love reading Jane Harper or Holly Throsby or indeed Jordan’s other novels, this is the perfect weekend read. How wonderful it is when the world gathers in awe of published work. The Fragments is a mystery that spans cities, class, people and timezones, and it’s a page-turner with plot developments transpiring right to the very last pages.Īdmirably, not only is this a delightful novel, but Jordan’s story also illustrates the impact and power an author’s work can have on its readers. Jordan depicts the nuances of bookselling without ever resorting to romantic platitudes, and counterbalances that world with the tragedies of hidden love that entwine both stories. In doing so, Caddie learns to trust her instinct and integrity. These stories are brought together when Caddie makes it her mission to solve the mystery surrounding the remains of the Karlson’s novel. The other tale, set in Brisbane in the heat of summer, examines the life of bookseller and former academic Caddie Walker. Fragments of Karlson’s second novel are all that survive this heartbreaking disaster. She also writes short fiction, essays and. One story centres on the life of reclusive and world-famous New York author Inga Karlson, who becomes victim to a terrible fire. Toni is the author of five novels - Addition, Nine Days, Fall Girl, Our Tiny, Useless Hearts and The Fragments. Using parallel stories which both have the theme of loss at their core, Jordan has created a unique and wonderful plot. Toni Jordan’s latest novel, The Fragments, holds within its pages a fable-like fervour for the written word. The twist? When you make something out of the cardboard it comes to life. Mike accepts a cardboard box since he has no money to buy Cam anything else for his birthday. Cam is, in turn, not only affected by this – but by the taunts of his wealthy neighbor Marcus. Mike is isolated – he is trapped in the memory of his dead wife, and financially trapped in an economy where there is no work. This book has a lot of “Twilight Zone” to it. Mike, a widower, is searching for anything to give his son when a mysterious stranger offers him a cardboard box…. Summary: Cam’s father Mike is out of work, and his birthday is the next day. Overall the themes are for young adult to adult) (the book has some pretty scary scenes and deals with the aftermath of a mother’s death. Suggested Age: I would suggest 12 and up. There’s also not any real plot that I’m aware of up until about 3/5 of the way into the story, and it’s a pretty weak plot at that. I had to just force myself forward (through the pangs of despair and haze of denial), and it wasn’t until that point that I really started remember who anyone was. Unfortunately, it took me almost 15 chapters to really get into the story at all. They are so unique, and I tend to love her unusual approaches and unexpected worlds. I think I could read Scorpio Races and the Raven Cycle a thousand times and never tire of them. This would just not keep my attention, and about 70% of the time, I had no clue who anyone was or what was happening. However, I rewound and rewound and rewound and rewound. It could have been me, as I listened on audio and perhaps was a poor listener. I wanted to love this, but I really struggled. I suspect most people are going to either love it or hate it, with little middle ground. She’s struggling to learn because she hasn’t gotten the help she needs and so when she gets kicked out of regular school for being pregnant she’s sent to another school where she gets the help she needs so she can try to get on her feet. Her father and mother sexually abuse her and before she’s 18 she’s pregnant twice, by her father. Push is about a young girl named Precious Jones, whose had a rough life from the get go. And I decided, okay I’ll get it, and the sequel and see what everyone is talking about. But I loved listening to Sapphire talk and how much everyone asking questions seemed to love the book, despite its difficult real-world topics. I remember sitting in the dark auditorium thinking this book sounds depressing. I remember where I got it even, at the Harold Washington Public Library after a Q&A with Sapphire. And going in knowing this seemed to help. But with “Push” I knew it was going to be difficult. I don’t have a clue what I’m getting into with them. There are a lot of books on my shelf where I don’t remember what they’re about. But when he recognizes the beautiful woman from the elevator-the one he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about for months-his best behavior is being held by a thread. Matt Ellis is trying to be on his best behavior for his mother-it is Christmas, after all. Until she heads home with Justin for the holidays and learns that the sexy stranger is none other than Justin’s older brother, Matt. But a matchmaker should be able to successfully match herself, right? Thankfully, she’ll never see the handsome stranger again. Except.when she gets trapped in an elevator with a handsome stranger, she accidentally confesses a secret: maybe her perfect boyfriend, Justin, isn’t so perfect for her after all. Matchmaking guru Kennedy Pepperdine’s life is perfect. Readers see Max hitting his rock bottom, but he is determined as all hell not to stay there. While Brubaker is known to take the gloves off and deliver some truly heavy-handed, gritty noir, Pulp is not unrelentingly dark and grim. As his age begins to catch up with him and the insidious influence of the Third Reich begins to spread from Europe to the United States, Max tries to find the courage to channel his own six-shooting legacy and prepare to go out on his own terms.ĭrawing from his own recent brush with death, Brubaker makes Max Winter one of his most personal protagonists yet. Winters draws from his own experiences as a gunslinger in the Wild West, decades ago. Max Winter is an old writer in 1930s New York City who crafts western stories for pulp magazines to help make ends meet. Her mum’s massive collection are the stars of the show, staring through to you as the reader with their unblinking china eyes, offering both a smart narrative link to the stories of the past and posing a threat in the future. Louise is the narrator (not the only one, as we get a glimpse into her brother Mark’s past experiences too) and her parents appear fairly wackadoo-crazy, with puppets (queue the Chucky vibes) playing a huge role in their lives and this novel. Initially, the focus is on heavy tones at the start of the book, and based on something that nearly every human can relate to – squabbling over an inheritance. Image courtesy of Gabriel Beauvais at Artstation: ĪNYWAY, onto this book, which I have to say is my favorite of the lot. And yes, I watched the TV-remake of ‘ My Best Friend’s Exorcism‘ with that great plot and this curious little dude (“Andras”) who I personally found far less scary than the thought of him (bit of Cloverfield vibes there). I admit it, like the rest of the world at the moment I am fairly Grady Hendrix mad. Drenched in sweat, moving as gracefully and effortlessly as I ever had, I saw my Crazy Idea shining up ahead, and it didn’t look all that crazy. Maybe, I thought, just maybe, I need to take one more look at my Crazy Idea. As my young heart began to thump, as my pink lungs expanded like the wings of a bird, as the trees turned to greenish blurs, I saw it all before me, exactly what I wanted my life to be. “The cowards never started,” he’d tell me, “and the weak died along the way-that leaves us.”Īnd then it happened. The best teacher I ever had, one of the finest men I ever knew, spoke of that trail often. Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few. This story describes in detail how many times Nike was close to failing, seemingly flying into headwinds for much of its early life. Inspired by popular Japanese shoes, Phil Knight worked with Bill Bowerman to develop a shoe for the American runner. Throughout this memoir, Phil pours his soul out and it’s clear he is at the front of the pack flying as hard as he can. It’s the ones in front that do most of the work, and take on the greatest risk. When geese fly in formation, the ones in back only need to work at 80% of the effort. |