Im Alter von acht Jahren entdeckt Caleb Smith seine Liebe zu Kaninchen und erkennt in ihnen Potenzial für mehr: Sie machen Freude und können trösten. Wenig später ruft er ein Programm ins Leben, um auch anderen durch seine Tiere Trost, Wärme und neue Hoffnung zu schenken. Caleb rettet ausgesetzte Kaninchen, beginnt eine Zucht seltener Rassen und verleiht seine hoppelnden Freunde an Familien als "Haustiere auf Probe". Schließlich gelingt es ihm, eine kleine Insel zu kaufen, auf der sich sei...

How nineteenth-century “disciplines of attention” anticipated the contemporary concern with mindfulness and being “spiritual but not religious”Today, we’re driven to distraction, our attention overwhelmed by the many demands upon it—most of which emanate from our beeping and blinking digital devices. This may seem like a decidedly twenty-first-century problem, but, as Caleb Smith shows in this elegantly written, meditative work, distraction was also a serious conce...

Historically Black Colleges and Universities were established to provide the opportunity for higher education to people of African descent in the era of segregation. The visions, values, and heritages these schools embodied enabled them to chart new frontiers of learning, scholarship, and public engagement for and beyond the United States. Historically Black Colleges and Universities in a Globalizing World: The Past, the Present, and the Future, edited by Alem Hailu, Mohamed S. Camara, and...

Condemned to hang after his raid on Harper’s Ferry, John Brown prophesied that the crimes of a slave-holding land would be purged away only with blood. A study of omens, maledictions, and inspired invocations, The Oracle and the Curse examines how utterances such as Brown’s shaped American literature between the Revolution and the Civil War.In nineteenth-century criminal trials, judges played the role of law’s living oracles, but offenders were also given an opportunity to...

When ex-navy SEAL and former Homeland Security agent Cody Sargent sails his 45 foot sloop into Admiralty Bay on the Caribbean island of Bequia, he expects to pass a few pleasant days and nights with Emma Stevenson, a local boutique owner he met the previous spring on his way south to Venezuela to lay up his boat for the hurricane season. Over dinner the first night, Emma tells him island gossip has it that a group of Muslims have taken up residence on the adjacent island of St. Vincent wit...

Cattle vs. Sheep...Grazers vs. Squatters...Life vs. Death...Joey, a nine-year-old orphan, leads a lonely existence. His uncle and aunt have an impending range war on their hands and don't take much notice of him. Then a mysterious stranger named Caleb enters his life.Caleb, a gunman who is in turn tender and brutal, has a deadly secret.. Will he save the downtrodden settlers, or destroy them? Joey's life will never be the same. And what will the price be to Ca...

Cave Creek, Nevada—Where the Unexpected Meets the Real WorldStrange, unexplained events long plagued residents of Cave Creek, a former mining town nestled in a hidden canyon north of Las Vegas.In two previous anthologies, Bitter Mountain Moonlight and Open Ended Threat, the stories recount the past and present of the mythical Cave Creek, where portals to other timelines open and then disappear in the desert and rocks around the town.Promise in the Gold takes the rea...

In "A Village Stradivarius," Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin crafts a poignant narrative that explores the intricate lives of small-town residents and the profound connections they share through music and memory. Set in the fictional rural village of Koral, the novel is imbued with a rich, lyrical style that highlights the pastoral beauty of its setting while delving into the emotional depths of its characters. Wiggin deftly weaves elements of Americana into her storytelling, echoing themes of l...

In "Christmas in Legend and Story," Elva Sophronia Smith intricately weaves a tapestry of myth, folklore, and narrative that illuminates the rich cultural and historical underpinnings of the Christmas season. Through her eloquent prose, Smith explores the origins of beloved traditions, shedding light on how various societies have infused both sacred and secular elements into their celebratory practices. With its lyrical style and vivid imagery, this work not only engages the reader's imagi...

In "Caleb West, Master Diver," Francis Hopkinson Smith crafts a richly woven narrative set against the backdrop of the vibrant maritime world. The novel follows the titular character, Caleb West, an expert diver navigating the delicate interplay between personal ambition and the responsibilities of community and family. Smith'Äôs style is characterized by its lyrical prose and vivid descriptive passages, which bring to life the dangers and wonders of underwater exploration, while also delv...

In "Mother Carey's Chickens," Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin crafts a heartwarming narrative set against the backdrop of rural New England, where themes of family, resilience, and the unexpected joys of childhood unfold. The book depicts the life of the Carey family, particularly focusing on the relationship between nurturing mother figures and their children, all woven into a rich tapestry of evocative descriptions and poignant dialogue. Wiggin's literary style is characterized by her lyrical ...

In "The Old Peabody Pew," Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin crafts a poignant narrative set in the quaint New England village of Harmony, offering a rich exploration of community, faith, and the passage of time. With a distinctive blend of realism and sentimental charm, Wiggin employs vivid characterizations and evocative descriptions that capture the essence of small-town life in the late 19th century. The story centers around the Peabody Pew, a cherished relic of the local church, and reveals ho...