The Unbroken Road

"I turned the corner. The aisle stretched before me as the music escalated. My white slippers brushed over the red roses. My heart thumped. I had waited so long for this moment. Had I really made it this far? Hundreds of eyes twinkled their approval. But did they really think I was crazy? I could almost hear the question I had been asked before, 'Do you think it will be worth the wait?' Here I was at this pinnacle moment. My first kiss." These are the lessons of a young woman's life. It may seem an unusual narrative as she saved her heart for love and grew up knowing that being "different" was a gift. From her childhood years in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the stark poverty and tremendous courage and faith of the Ethiopians, this is a riveting and inspiring story of God's sovereignty and faithfulness.

When a series of traumatic calls on the job as a firefighter leaves Steve shaken and unable to recover, he, reluctantly at first, seeks out clinical counselling. His one rule, “I won’t talk about my childhood,” closes the door on several therapists, until he meets one who is willing to respect his wishes—providing he explores his childhood on his own. When Steve begins to reflect on his past, he also begins to write it all down. The good, and the terrible. Those written words are here. Growing up in a fractured family rocked by addiction and trauma, Steve had to learn how to understand life, and death, on his own. As a self-described “street rat” on Boundary Road in East Vancouver, Steve caused trouble when it wasn’t already following him around. Struggling in school, at home, and in countless fights, he navigated his way through adolescence with the help of his father, and pursued his dream of becoming a firefighter. While realizing that dream, he is forced to confront the demons of his past and the reality of post-traumatic stress injury. Through clinical counselling he is able to release his past and find the power of self-acceptance and vulnerability. The Unbroken is the memoir of one firefighter, his family, trauma, and resilience. Most importantly it is a story that teaches all of us, no matter our situation, that life is school, and the subject is ourself, our life habits, thoughts, and our reactions to them. And that sometimes it is okay to not be okay.

This anthology explores disability in fictional tales told from the viewpoint of disabled characters, written by disabled creators. With stories in various genres about first loves, friendship, war, travel, and more, Unbroken will offer today's teen readers a glimpse into the lives of disabled people in the past, present, and future. The contributing authors are awardwinners, bestsellers, and newcomers including Kody Keplinger, Kristine Wyllys, Francisco X. Stork, William Alexander, Corinne Duyvis, Marieke Nijkamp, Dhonielle Clayton, Heidi Heilig, Katherine Locke, Karuna Riazi, Kayla Whaley, Keah Brown, and Fox Benwell. Each author identifies as disabled along a physical, mental, or neurodiverse axis—and their characters reflect this diversity.

Andrew starts his momentous first journey abroad laden with well-meant advice: not to stay too long in the white mans country, his mothers contribution; and not to marry a foreign girl, his travelling companions personally felt plea. He quickly discovers that London is not Lagos. It is fascinating to see familiar landmarks and the sometimes quirky English character through new eyes, but he is fortunate to make a friend John, who introduces him to his parents and . . . his sister, Eve. Sadly, as far as his mother is concerned, he is away too long but that he ignores the second sour advice is to his everlasting benefit. He meets and marries exactly the right girl, foreign or not. All is not plain sailing, but when it is necessary for Andrew to return to Nigeria, husband and wife are secure enough in their relationship to know that they and their children will survive whatever life in Africa will throw at them.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of On Tyranny comes a stunning new chronicle of the rise of authoritarianism from Russia to Europe and America. “A brilliant analysis of our time.”—Karl Ove Knausgaard, The New Yorker With the end of the Cold War, the victory of liberal democracy seemed final. Observers declared the end of history, confident in a peaceful, globalized future. This faith was misplaced. Authoritarianism returned to Russia, as Vladimir Putin found fascist ideas that could be used to justify rule by the wealthy. In the 2010s, it has spread from east to west, aided by Russian warfare in Ukraine and cyberwar in Europe and the United States. Russia found allies among nationalists, oligarchs, and radicals everywhere, and its drive to dissolve Western institutions, states, and values found resonance within the West itself. The rise of populism, the British vote against the EU, and the election of Donald Trump were all Russian goals, but their achievement reveals the vulnerability of Western societies. In this forceful and unsparing work of contemporary history, based on vast research as well as personal reporting, Snyder goes beyond the headlines to expose the true nature of the threat to democracy and law. To understand the challenge is to see, and perhaps renew, the fundamental political virtues offered by tradition and demanded by the future. By revealing the stark choices before us--between equality or oligarchy, individuality or totality, truth and falsehood--Snyder restores our understanding of the basis of our way of life, offering a way forward in a time of terrible uncertainty.

"Cassie recounts harrowing events during late 1941. An engrossing picture of fine young people endeavoring to find the right way in a world that persistently wrongs them." --Kirkus Reviews

Drawing on literary and archaeological evidence, David A. Dorsey examines the road system in Israel during the Iron Age (ca. 1200-586 B.C.). He offers a comprehensive investigation of the nature and physical characteristics of roads in ancient Israel and reconstructs Israel’s road network as it existed during the Old Testament period.