Behind a Mask

Behind a Mask
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Publisher: BoD - Books on Demand
Total Pages: 174
Release: 2022-10-24
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 2322434752

Six years before she wrote Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, in financial straits, entered "Pauline's Passion and Punishment," a novelette, in a newspaper contest. Not only did it win the $100 prize, but, published anonymously, it marked the first in the series of "blood & thunder tales" that would be her livelihood for years. In Behind a Mask, editor Madeleine Stern introduces four Alcott thrillers: "Pauline's Passion and Punishment," "The Mysterious Key," "The Abbot's Ghost," and the title story, "Behind a Mask." First published in one volume in 1975, they are regarded as Alcott's finest work in this genre.

Behind a Mask

Behind a Mask
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 152
Release: 2018-10-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 3748112475

"Has she come?" "No, Mamma, not yet." "I wish it were well over. The thought of it worries and excites me. A cushion for my back, Bella." And poor, peevish Mrs. Coventry sank into an easy chair with a nervous sigh and the air of a martyr, while her pretty daughter hovered about her with affectionate solicitude. "Who are they talking of, Lucia?" asked the languid young man lounging on a couch near his cousin, who bent over her tapestry work with a happy smile on her usually haughty face. "The new governess, Miss Muir. Shall I tell you about her?" "No, thank you. I have an inveterate aversion to the whole tribe. I've often thanked heaven that I had but one sister, and she a spoiled child, so that I have escaped the infliction of a governess so long." "How will you bear it now?" asked Lucia. "Leave the house while she is in it." "No, you won't. You're too lazy, Gerald," called out a younger and more energetic man, from the recess where he stood teasing his dogs. "I'll give her a three days' trial; if she proves endurable I shall not disturb myself; if, as I am sure, she is a bore, I'm off anywhere, anywhere out of her way."

Rise Again

Rise Again
Author: Ben Tripp
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 529
Release: 2010-10-26
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1439165181

Rise Again marks a vivid and powerful fiction debut from an author who “balances kinetically choreographed scenes of zombie carnage with studies of well-drawn characters and enough political intrigue to give his tale more gravity and grounding than most zombie gorefests” (Publishers Weekly). A mysterious contagion. Mass hysteria. Sudden death. And a warning that would come all too late... Forest Peak, California. Fourth of July. Sheriff Danielle Adelman, a troubled war veteran, thinks she has all the problems she can handle in this all-American town after her kid sister runs away from home. But when a disease-stricken horde of panicked refugees fleeing the fall of Los Angeles swarms her small mountain community, Danny realizes her problems have only just begun—starting with what might very well be the end of the world. Danny thought she had seen humanity at its worst in war-torn Iraq, but nothing could prepare her for the remorseless struggle to survive in a dying world being overrun by the reanimated dead and men turned monster. Obsessed with finding her missing sister against all odds, Danny’s epic and dangerous journey across the California desert will challenge her spirit . . . and bring her to the precipice of sanity itself. . . .

Behind a Mask, or a Woman's Power

Behind a Mask, or a Woman's Power
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Publisher: Lindhardt og Ringhof
Total Pages: 37
Release: 2022-03-02
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 8726645955

Originally published under a pseudonym, this tale set in Victorian Britain follows the journey of the simple and sweet governess of the Coventry family, Jean Muir. But all is not as it seems, this sweet governess has a dark secret that might spell the end for the Coventry family. Like a sickness she will worm her way into the hearts of this family, and it will take everything for them not to crumble. It is a tale distinctly unlike anything like Alcott had published before, while still incorporating many larger discussions on social class and the struggle for agency. It is a book that has had a profound impact on feminist literature with its potent plot twists, Gothic imagery and perfectly crafted villain. It is one of Alcott’s masterpieces and perfect for anyone who loved 'Jane Eyre'. Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) was an author, abolitionist and proud feminist. Her family suffered financially while she was growing up and so she was forced to take on multiple jobs in her youth to help provide for her family. Her writing became her outlet, forming her ideas and beliefs in the empowerment of women and people in to literature that reverberates to this day. Her most notable works include "Little Women", which is now a movie starring Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet, its sequel ‘Little Men’ and ‘An Old Fashioned Girl’.

The Power of Women

The Power of Women
Author: Denis Mukwege
Publisher: Flatiron Books: An Oprah Book
Total Pages: 197
Release: 2021-11-16
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1250769264

From Nobel laureate, world-renowned doctor, and noted human rights activist Dr. Denis Mukwege comes an inspiring clarion call-to-action to confront the scourge of sexual violence and better learn from women's resilience, strength, and power. At the heart of Dr. Mukwege’s message will be the voices of the many women he has worked with over the years. Dr. Mukwege will use individual cases to reassure all survivors that, even if their psychological wounds may never fully heal, they can recover and thrive with the right care and support. Dr. Mukwege’s dramatic personal story is interwoven throughout as he explores the bigger issues that have become a focus of his advocacy. He will seek to explain why sexual violence is so often overlooked during war, and how governments need to recognize and compensate victims. He will also stress the importance of breaking down the taboos surrounding assault, and the necessity of building a system that supports women who come forward. His words advocate for saying ‘no’ to indifference and he asks readers to reckon with the West’s involvement in perpetuating sexual violence in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, and to confront the abuse taking place in their own communities. Sexual violence does not occur in a vacuum. The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has raged for over 20 years and has claimed an estimated 5 million lives, is inseparable from Western patriarchy and economic colonization. And this cycle of violence and spoils is not limited to Congo. Dr. Mukwege’s work has led him to South Korea, Latin America, the Middle East, and elsewhere in Africa, where he has found striking similarities in women’s testimonies. The truth is, through the intricate ties of the global economy, we are all implicated in violence against women – whether it occurs amidst the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo or on college campuses in the West. And Dr. Mukwege’s writing will address men as well, encouraging and guiding them to become allies in the fight against sexual abuse, in war and in peace. Building more inclusive, gender-balanced societies will require developing what he calls “positive masculinity” – a systemic change in male behavior and attitudes towards women. Dr. Mukwege hopes to inspire other men to speak out and join the struggle, rather than leaving women to fight the battle alone. He will also make the case, drawing from his experience and a wealth of research on the topic, that when women are involved as economic and political decision makers, all of society benefits. The Power of Women will illuminate the enduring strength of women in the face of violence and trauma, and give hope for the potential of individuals to turn the tide.

The Sense of an Ending

The Sense of an Ending
Author: Julian Barnes
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 158
Release: 2011-10-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0307957330

BOOKER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A novel that follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance: one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single setting, The Sense of an Ending has the psychological and emotional depth and sophistication of Henry James at his best, and is a stunning achievement in Julian Barnes's oeuvre. Tony Webster thought he left his past behind as he built a life for himself, and his career has provided him with a secure retirement and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, who now has a family of her own. But when he is presented with a mysterious legacy, he is forced to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.

Tied Up in Knots

Tied Up in Knots
Author: Andrea Tantaros
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 166
Release: 2016-04-26
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0062351885

A breakdown of the impact of the feminist movement on American culture from a conservative political analyst and commentator. Fifty years after Betty Friedan unveiled The Feminine Mystique, relations between men and women in America have never been more dysfunctional. If women are more liberated than ever before, why aren't they happier? In this shocking, funny, and bluntly honest tour of today’s gender discontents, Andrea Tantaros, one of Fox News’ most popular and outspoken stars, exposes how the rightful feminist pursuit of equality went too far, and how the unintended pitfalls of that power trade have made women (and men!) miserable. In a covetous quest to attain the power that men had, women were advised to work like men, talk like men, party like men, and have sex like men. There’s just one problem: women aren’t men. Instead of feeling happy with their newfound freedoms, females today are tied up in knots, trying to strike a balance between their natural, feminine and traditional desires and what modern society dictates—and demands—through the commandments of feminism. Revealing the mass confusion this has caused among both sexes, Tantaros argues that decades of social and economic progress haven’t brought women the peace and contentedness they were told they’d gain from their new opportunities. The pressure both to have it all and to put forth the perfectly post-worthy, filtered life for social media and society at large has left women feeling twisted. Meanwhile, in their rightful quest for equality, women have promoted themselves at the expense of their male counterparts, leaving both genders frayed and frustrated. In this candid and humorous romp through the American cultural landscape, Tantaros reveals how gaining respect in the office—where women earned it—made them stop demanding it where they really wanted it: in their love lives. The impact of this power trade has been felt in every way, from sex to salaries, to dating and marriage, to fertility and female friendships, to the personal details they share with each other. As a result, we’ve lost the traditional virtues and values that we all want, regardless of our politics: intimacy, authenticity, kindness, respect, discretion, and above all commitment. With scathing wit—and insights born of personal experience—Tantaros explores how women have taken guys off the hook in dating (much to their own detriment) and exposes how we’ve become a nation averse to intimacy and preoccupied with porn, one that has traded kindness for control, intimacy for sexting, and monogamy for polygamy. Sorry romance. Sorry decency and manners. Long talks over the telephone have been supplanted by the “belfie.” All this indicates a culture that's devolving, not evolving. And it’s only getting worse. Tied Up in Knots is a no-holds-barred gut check for the sexes and a wake-up call for a society that has decayed—faster than anyone thought possible. It’s time to remember what we all really want out of work, love and life. Only then can we finally begin untying those knots.

War, Women, and Power

War, Women, and Power
Author: Marie E. Berry
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 300
Release: 2018-03-15
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1108246893

Rwanda and Bosnia both experienced mass violence in the early 1990s. Less than ten years later, Rwandans surprisingly elected the world's highest level of women to parliament. In Bosnia, women launched thousands of community organizations that became spaces for informal political participation. The political mobilization of women in both countries complicates the popular image of women as merely the victims and spoils of war. Through a close examination of these cases, Marie E. Berry unpacks the puzzling relationship between war and women's political mobilization. Drawing from over 260 interviews with women in both countries, she argues that war can reconfigure gendered power relations by precipitating demographic, economic, and cultural shifts. In the aftermath, however, many of the gains women made were set back. This book offers an entirely new view of women and war and includes concrete suggestions for policy makers, development organizations, and activists supporting women's rights.

Kingdom Woman

Kingdom Woman
Author: Tony Evans
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2013-07-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1624051944

Become the Kingdom Woman God Is Calling You to Be Women, lean in: You grace this world with insight, sensitivity, and spiritual beauty that has made you a force behind great accomplishments. Much of what comes in the life of a kingdom woman may not make headlines, but when you become passionate about what God is passionate about, positive change can occur in lives, families, communities, and even our nation. Your solution to the burdens of this life is found in humbling yourself before Jesus Christ and surrendering to the Word of God. Together with his daughter, Crystal Evans Hurst, Dr. Tony Evans shows you what it means to live as a kingdom woman, to walk by faith (not just talk about it), to make decisions in alignment with God, to raise up the next generation, and to discover that tremendous freedom comes when your ultimate submission is under a caring and loving God. How do you do this? Kingdom Woman serves as a path to help you along the journey of life as you learn to: Let go of hopelessness and disappointment and fully experience your destiny Value what God values—humility, meekness, and the beauty of a servant’s heart Confidently follow God on the pathway of faith, even if you can’t see the destination Choose to have faith to believe that the dark road you are traveling on will eventually yield to a sunrise Pursue God and His Word in a way that your actions follow His instructions Exercise authority for heavenly intervention in your earthly affairs God is writing your story. Live like He designed you to be.

A Woman's Influence

A Woman's Influence
Author: Tony A. Gaskins
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2021-04-13
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 1501199366

From celebrity life coach and motivational speaker, Tony Gaskins Jr. and his wife, Sheri, comes an essential guide with hard-hitting truths about a woman’s undeniable influence on a relationship—and the power she has to change her man for the better. Tony Gaskins has inspired others by sharing his truth—drawing millions of followers online and making him one of America’s foremost experts on love and relationships. Now, he and his wife explore a woman’s positive impact on a relationship in this practical and accessible guide that walks you through a series of irreplaceable lessons on making personal changes that foster healthy relationships. Tony and his wife, Sheri, draw on their own relationship successes and failures as they examine the eighteen time-tested truths about how a woman’s influence can shift a relationship for the better—if used correctly. Including advice for women such as “you are not a maid,” “show don’t tell,” and the “72-hour rule”—where the woman makes herself totally unreachable to her partner—Tony and Sheri tackle all of today’s important topics such as misogyny and the “grown boy syndrome,” while never losing the empowering and empathetic tone that Tony’s loyal following has come to love and trust. Whether you are single, dating, engaged, or married, A Woman’s Influence is a hopeful response to a culture where men behave badly and women are victimized all too often. By providing a vision that empowers women to know their worth and simultaneously bring out the best in men, this guidebook can help you make a lasting, positive change to your relationship.