Every lover of music finds themselves, at privileged moments, in ecstasy – certain that what they are hearing has captured, somehow, an incontrovertible truth. In Bach’s Architecture of Gratitude James Crooks explores this profound aesthetic experience in a case study of J.S. Bach’s Mass in B Minor – widely considered among the greatest works of the western choral canon.The book begins with an investigation of compositional principles – of what we might call the mass’s mus...

Does the world we inhabit offer us hospitality or indifference? This question is central to the spiritual literature of all cultures. In We Find Ourselves Put to the Test James Crooks returns to the Bible’s book of Job to explore the enduring relevance of that question and its philosophical dimensions.Beginning with the puzzle of Job’s famous stoicism and nihilism in the face of loss, Crooks explores the contradictions of suffering as dramatized in the dialogue between Job...

**LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE TRANSGENDER FICTION LAMBDA LITERARY AWARDFINALIST FOR THE PUBLISHING TRIANGLE'S EDMUND WHITE AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION“Writing a funny book is hard. Writing a convincing takedown of one of America’s most popular prejudices is harder still. Writing a funny novel in which complex, imperfect characters make a compelling case for one of our culture’s most maligned groups—that takes smarts and

In the 1950s and '60s Jacksonville faced daunting problems. Critics described city government as boss-ridden, expensive, and corrupt. African Americans challenged racial segregation, and public high schools were disaccredited. The St. Johns River and its tributaries were heavily polluted. Downtown development had succumbed to suburban sprawl. Consolidation, endorsed by an almost two-to-one majority in 1967, became the catalyst for change. The city's decision to consolidate with surrounding...

Who is the Piper? . . .Special Agent Patrick Bowers returns in an electrifying prequel to the Bowers Chess series from critically acclaimed, national bestselling novelist Steven James.A mysterious suicide and a series of abductions draw Patrick into a web of intrigue involving an international conspiracy where no one is who they appear to be and the stakes have never been higher.Soon, Patrick discovers that the secret to stopping th...

The innovative Newcastle Challenging Behaviour Model for dementia care has recently been updated, leading to new advances in the field. This revised second edition guide to assessment and treatment of behaviours that challenge associated with dementia includes these latest developments along with new sections on what have traditionally been considered controversial topics.The new chapters cover issues including:- End of life care- Use of therapeutic dolls- Lies...

A former GOP political consultant exposes the corruption, greed, and dirty tricks that control our country in this tell-all memoir.Leslie Sorrell started a successful and influential political consulting firm in Texas, working with many of the state's Republican congressman. Her goal was to save the country by helping good people get into office and stay there. But over time she discovered the true character of these supposedly good people. Those experiences introd...

The New York Times and USA Today**–bestselling author of the Wishing River series delivers a heartwarming Christmas romance “worthy of a Hallmark adaptation” (Booklist).**As the spirit of Christmas lights up Silver Springs, three generations of women gather at their dysfunctional family’s B&B, hoping to reconcile in time for the holidays....

‘Tis the season at The Christmas House, and Ruby Harris is getting married—but a winter storm of emotion could derail the whole affair in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Victoria James’s second Christmas House novel.Ruby Harris, longtime owner of the historic B&B, The Christmas House, is tying the knot—on Christmas Eve! Olivia Harris is thrilled for her grandmother and can’t wait to help plan the event.Newly divorced, with ...

**Finalist for the 2022 Lincoln PrizeAn award-winning scholar uncovers the guiding principles of Lincoln’s antislavery strategies.**The long and turning path to the abolition of American slavery has often been attributed to the equivocations and inconsistencies of antislavery leaders, including Lincoln himself. But James Oakes’s brilliant history of Lincoln’s antislavery strategies reveals a striking consistency and commitment extending over many years. The linchpin of anti...

Perfect for fans of Anita Hughes and Jenny Colgan, the mistletoe is hanging and the Christmas lights twinkling in Fortune’s Cove—but there are holiday secrets lurking in the far shadows.Annie Hamilton is a single mother of two and veterinarian whose family is on the verge of falling apart. Her husband has passed away, her teenage son is finding trouble at every turn, and she’s desperately struggling to keep it all together. When she decides to leave the city for Fo...

Three trials. Three weeks. Three Royal Princes.It should have been an easy task, for a skilled mercenary like Rybet Waise. Simply break into the royal palace, and rescue her friend from the executioner’s block. But when Rybet accidentally qualifies for the Trials, she finds herself with little choice but to see them through. A thin veil of etiquette, elegance, and glamour hides the true nature of the Trials. Behind closed doors, they are brutal and bloody, and to f...