For Once

In a place where everyone knows your name you can't forget who you are. Life, love and loss in a picture postcard town is laid bare in this heart-breaking but darkly comic new play. Through a series of interweaving accounts For Once cuts to the heart of a family, and a community, turned upside down by unimaginable tragedy. For Once examines the fallout after a car crash on a country lane takes the life of two local teenagers, through three interlaced monologues by their surviving friend Sid and his parents, April and Gordon, exposing the pre-existing faultlines in the family. Sid has been left partially sighted by the crash, and his account of his life before and since the accident gives an insight into why young people living in what seems like 'ideal' communities are driven to seek thrills elsewhere, sometimes with horrifying consequences. However, far from being depressing, Tim Price's skill at capturing the revealing inarticulacy of the teenager, as well as his troubled parents, makes for unexpected humour. For Once is a powerful and incisive look at life and death in a small market town and premiered on 8 July 2011 at the Hampstead Theatre in a production by Pentabus Theatre.

"Follow [vintage clothes-obsessed stockbroker] Tess and [jazz musician] George through a decade of bad dates, chaotic dinner parties, magical birthdays, dead-end jobs, romantic misalliances, and lots of starting over"--Page 4 of cover.

A Tale of Love, Discovery, and Second Chances... In the bustling world of Dublin's advertising scene, Kitty O’Sullivan, a copywriter, feels an unexplainable void in her life that she can't quite pinpoint. Her five-year relationship with Dave is stagnant, her creative juices have dried up and she’s even entertaining thoughts of marriage as a cure-all! Something’s missing from her life but she can’t work out exactly what it is... When Dave decides to take time out from ‘them’, Kitty finds herself momentarily liberated to explore life and have some fun. She and best friend Shazza are corralled into joining a five-aside football team where she meets the intriguing Sweetman brothers, Tom and Rory. As they sail around the enchanting coast of Dublin, engage in fierce football battles and stumble upon a magical secret drinking den, Kitty falls in love with her new life - and her new self - but is it only temporary until Dave returns? Will Kitty find the answers to life's mysteries and take charge of her future? Join Kitty on this journey of love, self-discovery, and the pursuit of a life truly worth living. Praise for the wonderful Sian O'Gorman 'Utterly irresistible and joyful - the perfect summer read!' Faith Hogan 'A gorgeous story of friendship, community and starting over' Jessica Redland 'A book with everything. A real 5 star read.' Claudia Carroll 'Delicious! An upbeat, witty read about friends, family and following your dreams.' Gillian Harvey

Critical thinking and logical reasoning seem to be a thing of the past. A lot in the new generation will follow the latest trend on social media, mindlessly, regardless of how stupid they are, with some to the point of insanity. The fear of losing out and being looked down upon is so great that some will go to great lengths to blend in with their peers, even if their actions will bring dire consequences to their own lives, or those around them. We became machines made from flesh and blood, losing the ability, or better, choosing not to think about what we want in life, what is our purpose here, and how we want to live our life meaningfully during our short stay in this world. Perhaps it is time for us to start thinking for ourselves, for once.

You've been deceived with sweet-sounding lies all this time (all those other books, except this one, of course). In this one, I'll tell you the unvarnished truth. Because of those lies you believed about happiness, motivation, and personal growth, you've continuously acted like a victim. They filled your ears with flawed concepts that sounded enlightening and which you liked hearing. But tell me, how much have you grown since the last self-help book you read? How much more do you love yourself since that self-esteem and motivation course? Probably not much. And do you know why? Because you're likely like me: someone who wants to grow, but dislikes being spun around with cheesy words, lies, and fantasies. Someone who can only work on their personal development based on accepting the hard truth, and who wants to understand the real reasons for their failure, not unproven tales we have no control over.You have two options:Move on and read another self-help book with those clichéd titles that almost coddle you, telling you it's not your fault, that you should spread love to the world, float in the air while meditating on a cloud of joy and happiness, thinking positive thoughts to attract a mansion, a private jet, fame, and the perfect family...For once, take control of your destiny, brace yourself for what this book has to say, and courageously assume responsibility for your circumstances because that's the only way to grow.The self-help book that tells you exactly what you don't want to hear. It's time someone confronted you with the truth; stop feeling sorry for yourself, stop acting like a pathetic victim of life, and start taking control of your destiny. This book won't offer indulgence or soothing words, only the emotional slap that will jolt you out of your comfort zone and push you towards the life you deserve... But if you prefer to keep playing the victim, go ahead, nothing's stopping you... Victims never succeed; they just get fleeting attention. What do you prefer? A sympathetic pat on the back or reaching the peak of your potential? It's your choice...

About the Book For Once There Was a Time is a poignant memoir about one man’s struggle with addiction and his journey from rock bottom to a hopeful future as a loving husband and father. Growing up in Brooklyn, Danny B. Green was surrounded by temptation in the form of drugs, alcohol, gangs, and violence. Despite his environment, Green has a successful career and makes a life for himself, but when the new highly-addictive drug crack-cocaine enters the scene, Green finds himself throwing away everything he worked for in order to get his next high. His rock bottom finds him facing felony robbery charges and seven years in prison, forcing Green to make a choice: succumb to the drug or rise above and take control of his life. About the Author Danny B. Green is a native of Brooklyn, New York. He has worked in numerous facilities helping individuals deal with disabilities like substance abuse, mental health issues, and homelessness. He enjoys helping others achieve their personal goals, and in his free time Green can be found outdoors, playing sports and chess, listening to music, and spending time with his family.

Beloved author Sarah Dessen's latest novel set in the exciting and romantic world of wedding planning is now in paperback. A #1 New York Times bestseller. Is it really better to have loved and lost? Louna's summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically. But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged now that he's met the one he really wants. Maybe Louna's second chance is standing right in front of her. Sarah Dessen’s many fans will adore this latest novel, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story with humor, romance, and an ending that is so much more than happily-ever-after.

A Study Guide for Mary Rodgers's "Once Upon a Mattress," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Drama For Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Drama For Students for all of your research needs.

Felix, a Jewish boy in Poland in 1942, is hiding from the Nazis in a Catholic orphanage. The only problem is that he doesn't know anything about the war, and thinks he's only in the orphanage while his parents travel and try to salvage their bookselling business. And when he thinks his parents are in danger, Felix sets off to warn them--straight into the heart of Nazi-occupied Poland. To Felix, everything is a story: Why did he get a whole carrot in his soup? It must be sign that his parents are coming to get him. Why are the Nazis burning books? They must be foreign librarians sent to clean out the orphanage's outdated library. But as Felix's journey gets increasingly dangerous, he begins to see horrors that not even stories can explain. Despite his grim suroundings, Felix never loses hope. Morris Gleitzman takes a painful subject and expertly turns it into a story filled with love, friendship, and even humor.