The last ever dolphin message was misinterpreted as a surprisingly sophisticated attempt to do a double backwards somersault through a hoop, whilst whistling the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’. But most of their communications were misinterpreted as amusing attempts to punch footballs, or whistle for titbits, so they eventually gave up and left the Earth by their own means - shortly before the Vogons arrived. In the story, Earth is destroyed, the dolphins knew this was coming and left the planet.Ĭuriously enough, the dolphins had long known of the impending demolition of Earth and had made many attempts to alert mankind to the danger. This is a comedy, the phrase, as used there, is to signify that Dolphins are more intelligent than humans. It is a quotation from Episode Three of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio series by Douglas Adams.
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Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans was a childhood favorite and I remember being a little girl and thinking I want to be just like Madeline because she was so brave. Instead of rain or snow they get hot dogs and a drizzle of soda, or peas and carrots! Things started going wrong in Chewandswallow though and the weather went nuts! I love asking children what food they wished fell from the sky and why after reading this book. See Chewandswallow is a place where the food falls from the sky. In just a few pages you will dive into the land of Chewandswallow and its magical weather. This book takes you to another dimension in the way usually reserved for longer books or movies. Do you have a favorite that I didn’t list? Add it in the comments so we can keep this list growing.Ĭloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi and Ron Barrett has long been a favorite. There is something extra special about reading books you loved as a child with your own children. Most of these vintage books are favorites from my childhood but are also loved by my children. Reading with my children is probably my absolute favorite thing to do but when I can read books from my own childhood with them it’s even better. Among the stories are Ray Bradbury's "Exchange," read by Rochelle Oliver Walter R. More than 300,000 listeners tune in to this offering weekly to hear some of their favorite tales read aloud by distinguished actors. Full of funny, fantastical, and poignant stories about people with unique and passionate connections to the written word, this set will have a particular resonance with those who favor books. Recorded live at Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City and at venues across the United States, these audio anthologies feature short stories from the Selected Shorts program that airs on public radio nationwide. Since 1998 he has been a professional actor, playwright and producer, winning numerous awards. He went to the University of Natal where he completed a Masters degree in Drama and Performance. South African comedian John van de Ruit invites the reader into the mind of a young boy whose eyes are being opened to love, friendship and complete insanity!Some rave reviews from South Africa:'Funny, fast-paced and wonderfully observant' - The Daily News'Once you pick it up it's almost as if the pages turn themselves' - Metrobeat'Achingly funny' - Sunday Times LifestyleJohn van de Ruit was born in Durban, South Africa. The year is 1992 and, as always in South Africa, radical change is in the air. Im practically a man in most areas, writes Spud confidently on his sixteenth birthday. With only his wits and his diary, he takes readers on a rowdy boarding school romp full of illegal midnight swims, catastrophic cricket matches, ghostbusting escapades, girls and disastrous holidays. As Spud Milton continues his diabolical stagger through adolescence, he learns one of lifes most important lessons: when dealing with women and cretins, nothing is ever quite as it seems. Cursed with embarrassingly dysfunctional parents, a nutty granny and a dormitory full of strange characters, Spud has his hands full trying to adapt to his new home. Apartheid is crumbling, Nelson Mandela has just been released from prison and thirteen-year-old Spud Milton is about to start his first year at an elite boys-only boarding school. Spud is the hilarious debut novel by John van de RuitIt's 1990. Even going in knowing the synopsis, I wasn’t prepared for the emotional response that McFarlane expertly coaxed from. If I Never Met You starts off on the heavier side. But there’s a fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling for your charming, handsome fake boyfriend. With the plan hatched, Laurie and Jamie begin to flaunt their new couple status, to the astonishment-and jealousy-of their friends and colleagues. It’s the perfect proposition: a fauxmance played out on social media, with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind. Laurie wants a hot new man to give the rumor mill something else to talk about. Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, but he needs a respectable, steady girlfriend to impress their bosses. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling-not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Genres: Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Friendship, Womenīestselling author Mhairi McFarlane returns with another heartfelt romantic comedy perfect for fans of Josie Silver, Sophie Kinsella, or Sally Thorne. Published by HarperCollins on March 24, 2020 Mann writes about the changed world after Columbus' voyage in 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, a sequel to his 2006 pre-Columbian history, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus. "And this underlies a huge amount of history learned in schools: the Industrial Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the rise of the West - all of these are tied up in what's been called the 'Columbian exchange.' " "It was a tremendous ecological convulsion - the greatest event in the history of life since the death of the dinosaurs," says Mann. When Columbus crossed the Atlantic in 1492, his journey prompted the exchange of not only information but also food, animals, insects, plants and viruses between the continents. "In fourteen-hundred-and-ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue," goes the old elementary school rhyme.īut it was Columbus' activities in the years that followed, says writer Charles C. This interview was originally broadcast on August 8, 2011. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title 1493 Subtitle Uncovering the New World Columbus Created Author Charles C. "The journal notes aren't clear as to the landmarks. The word rang like a chime in John's head. "It will take us a day or so to examine them and perhaps another day to extract the unit. "We've identified three possible sites," Spider was saying. Yet the fruit of his labors, the prize, lay locked in the binder in the crook of Spider's arm, and John knew better than to trust Spider's seeming felicity. He had done well, and Spider appeared content. A fusion, and a relatively stable one at that, in less than a month. And he expected impossible things in an impossible timeframe. He was reasonable, but only when circumstances permitted understanding of difficulties, yet completely unaffected by them. He could almost feel the slick leather against the pads of his fingers. He braided the fingers of his hands together to keep from reaching for it. The very idea of what it might be hiding made John light-headed. The things he could do, armed with that binder. The binder was full of translated notes, the thoughts of a genius mind. They strode side by side along the hallway, the binder swaying gently with Spider's smooth pace. "The smell is truly abominable," Spider said. It commanded John's attention, and he couldn't keep from staring at it. A thick leather binder lay in the crook of his right arm. The lean man blinked against the light and raised his hand to shield his eyes. JOHN watched the door swing as Spider emerged from the bowels of the laboratory into the sunlight-flooded hallway. The only thing that is crystal clear is that something in this marriage is very, very wrong. But then why is David so controlling? And why is Adele so scared of him?Īs Louise is drawn into David and Adele's orbit, she uncovers more puzzling questions than answers. And if you think you know where this story is going, think again, because Behind Her Eyes is like no other book you've read before.ĭavid and Adele look like the picture-perfect husband and wife. But she also just happens to be married to David. The very married man from the bar.who says the kiss was a terrible mistake, but who still can't keep his eyes off Louise.Īnd then Louise bumps into Adele, who's new to town and in need of a friend. When Louise arrives at work on Monday, she meets her new boss, David. Though he leaves after they kiss, she's thrilled she finally connected with someone. On a rare night out, she meets a man in a bar and sparks fly. Louise is a single mom, a secretary, stuck in a modern-day rut. Why is everyone talking about the ending of Sarah Pinborough's Behind Her Eyes? "An eerie thriller.Pinborough keeps us guessing about just who's manipulating whom – until the ending reveals that we've been wholly complicit in this terrifying mind game." - The New York Times Book Review "You should read Behind Her Eyes.It's bloody brilliant." - Stephen King The instant New York Times and #1 international bestseller. To name the star in question would invite a ruinous libel suit. So, anyway, by the time he had it treated his tubes were terribly scarred.' And that is legally where his anecdote must end. Now, she's made me forget what we were talking about. With that, he returns to his salad, his breath shaking, and tucks himself back in. In fact,' he jabs his finger at her, 'you have the ugliest voice I've ever heard in a woman!' 'I'm trying to do an interview over there and I can barely hear myself think! You really are very loud, you know, you have a very shrill voice. He stomps over to her table and barks: 'Do you think you could possibly keep it down?' The glee drains swiftly from the poor girl's face. 'Right, I'm going to tell that fucking bitch to shut up!' And he squeezes out of the booth, this tall and fuming 75-year-old, half-dragging the tablecloth with him. And with her every burst, Anger's fury mounts - he winces, his jaw clenches ever tighter, until finally he snaps. Her face is red and shuddering, she's hooting and banging the table. “A mind with its own heartbeat” is the favorite phrase of Link and Ellen’s dad, and Ellen’s mind beats across the tangle of feelings of all these beguiling, intelligent, and complicated folk. When Link begins dating a girl, James and Ellen try to find what they are to each other without Link, Ellen sees her brother’s talents, her parents’ differing desires but very real concerns, and James’s complex emotional life as puzzles to be solved with intensity and with desire. Are James and Link a couple? Ellen wrestles with that, too, with what it might mean to be gay. In a world of privilege, private schools, Manhattan locales, and summers in Maine, Ellen wrestles with her deep love for her brother and the intensity of her feelings for his best friend. In this lovely and passionate story, told in the first-person present, the questions of love are repeated over, under, around, and beneath: how do parents love their children? How do friends care for one another? What do love and sex have to do with each other? Ellen is 14, and the two most important people in her life are her older brother Link, a high-school senior, and his best friend James. |