Sometimes It Was Beautiful

SOMETIMES IT WAS BEAUTIFUL is a very different kind of book in the annals of work published in the American and African-African tradition. It is a true to life story told by PT Armstrong, a man whose incredible life began as the son of an impoverished sharecropper in Texas but who survived those slave-like beginnings to experience the kind of adventures that only a handful of people are still alive to talk about. Despite such life-threatening adversities as severe poverty and Jim Crow racismÑwhen we worked as a ÒmuleskinnerÓ-- Armstrong tended to be Òlucky in love.Ó In SOMETIMES IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, he balances his report on the hardships of life for a young black man during the middle years of the twentieth century in America with tales of a young man constantly in search of love. Whether strongly erotic, humorous, or sad, the story of his quest for love is an unflinchingly honest one. The memoir employs dialect that is true to the era and place.

Beautiful in the Lord’s Eyes tells the timeless Christian story of hope and redemption from a perspective many are afraid to touch in this age of political correctness. The book deals with an initially unrepentant Muslim terrorist who zealously attempts to impose Sharia law on an innocent young Christian model. At a time when similar things are happening across America such as the attempted massacre at a private event drawing pictures of Muhammad in Garland, Texas, the story in Beautiful in the Lord’s Eyes could easily be ripped from today’s news headlines. Rather than attempt to present a sanitized version of Islam this book presents a reality that is faced by many Christians around the world today. Yet rather than leave the reader with a message of condemnation, it reminds us that Christ came to die for the sins of all, even those who follow the false religion of Islam and are murderous extremists. Yet the book does so in a respectful rather than a condescending way that makes what happens seem highly probable.

DON’T MISS BRIDGE OF CLAY, MARKUS ZUSAK’S FIRST NOVEL SINCE THE BOOK THIEF AND AN UNFORGETTABLE AND SWEEPING FAMILY SAGA. From the author of the extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller The Book Thief, I Am the Messenger is an acclaimed novel filled with laughter, fists, and love. A MICHAEL L. PRINTZ HONOR BOOK FIVE STARRED REVIEWS Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery. That's when the first ace arrives in the mail. That's when Ed becomes the messenger. Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?

From Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Katherine Applegate, a sweet book of encouragement, filled with humor and insight into the effort behind any meaningful accomplishment in life. A perfect gift for baby shower, birthday, or graduation. This gorgeous gift book, equally perfect for preschool graduations or college commencements, baby showers or birthdays, is an inspirational tribute to the universal struggles and achievements of childhood. Beginning with a first birthday, the scenes travel through childhood triumphs and milestones, coming full circle to graduation. A magical blend of succinct text and beautiful watercolors renders each moment with tenderness and humor and encourages readers to “remember then, with every try, sometimes you fail . . . sometimes you fly.”