Finding My Marbles

It is no accident that you are holding this book right now. Behind the seemingly chaotic unfolding of your life, there exists a harmony where everyone has a special purpose and everything has a perfect moment. But if you'e stuck in the "joyless zone"--that place where joy cannot enter and pain cannot leave--you cannot yet see this harmony. You may feel as if you have "lost your marbles."

"There IS life after loss. It's just a different one." A decade of multiple traumatic events left Tonya Cunningham broken. In spite of her training as a grief counselor and doing all the right things, she fell into deep depression. The proverbial "lost her marbles" became reality in her life. But God led Tonya on a trek, a journey of healing. How could she ever rise from the ashes and regain the marbles of her mind? In her debut book, Tonya shares her story in hopes of helping others.

A comprehensive identification and value guide for both antque and machine-made marbles.

Immediately captivating, Orion You Came and You Took All My Marbles introduces readers to Finley, an investigator of indiscernible origins and prowess who is assigned to a mysterious Professor Uppal and his puppets. The nature of the investigation isn’t clear, but Finley nonetheless forges ahead, with occasional assistance from her colleagues Murphy, The Lamb, and Binelli, as well as the professor’s beautiful daughter and her sinister boyfriend. The investigation circles in on itself until Finley realizes that she may be close to discovering the truth about her forgotten life. Both whimsical and deeply serious, Orion You Came and You Took All My Marbles casts a shadow that touches on literary novels, noir, and philosophical pursuits, bringing them all into the singularity of existence itself.

Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between “crazy” and “creative” in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers. Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Flagrantly manic and terrified that medications would cause her to lose creativity, she began a years-long struggle to find mental stability while retaining her passions and creativity. Searching to make sense of the popular concept of the crazy artist, she finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. She also researches the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, including the strengths and limitations of various treatments and medications, and what studies tell us about the conundrum of attempting to “cure” an otherwise brilliant mind. Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forney’s memoir provides a visceral glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artist’s work, as she shares her own story through bold black-and-white images and evocative prose.

More than 500 color photos display marbles of all types, including Indians, Aggies, Steelies, transitionals, M.F. Christensen & Son, Akro Agate and more.

A first-of-kind book on marble collecting for beginners interested in learning about how to identify and value old marbles.

Over 590 color photos display machine-made marbles from the twentieth century, including the most extensive collection of marble packaging ever assembled. Marble factories whose products and packaging are displayed include Akro Agate, Christiansen Agate, Davis Marble, Heaton Agate, Kokomo Opalescent, Libbey-Owens-Ford, Marble King, Peltier, Ravenswood, and Vitro. Values are included in the captions.