Showing results by publisher "Phoenix Books" in Cultural & Regional

After his father died, Leon Wieseltier began to observe the traditional year-long period of mourning, going to the synagogue three times a day to recite the prayer known as the mourner's Kaddish. Struck by the profound, yet unexpected power of this practice and the poverty of his knowledge about it, Leon began to study the history and meaning of this ancient ritual.

Dr. Walter Turnbull dreamed of creating opportunities and better lives for the children of Harlem. Lift Every Voice is the story of how he realized his dream. Dr. Turnbull shares the hard bought wisdom he learned throughout his life...from his childhood in Mississippi to his experiences as founder and director of the now famous Grammy Award-winning Boys Choir of Harlem, and talks about how to teach children that with hard work, discipline, and self-respect they can attain their highest goals.

When Leon Wieseltier's father died, he began to observe the traditional year-long period of mourning, going to the synagogue three times a day to recite the prayer known as the mourner's Kaddish. Struck by the profound, yet unexpected power of this practice and the poverty of his knowledge about it, he began to study the history and meaning of this ancient ritual. Kaddish provides a record of his journey of discovery, as he wrestles with questions of faith and reason while reflecting on the life of his father and of his people.

There is no higher praise we can give people than to say they have good character. But what really, does this mean? What makes this quality so essential to achieving personal success and fulfillment? More important, how can we build our own character and live more satisfying lives? Reflecting society's diversity, the contributing authors in this unique collection of essays speak from various cultural and professional backgrounds to share their observations on living with integrity, honesty, and compassion.

In this memoir, the pseudonymous author, Ruthie Bolton, tells how she overcame tremendous obstacles to find her place in the world. Born into poverty in a rural Southern town, Bolton was abandoned by her 13-year-old mother and raised by her step-grandfather, an abusive tyrant who beat his wife to death and terrorized his children. With remarkable candor yet no trace of self-pity, Bolton describes how she used alcohol and drugs to try to escape her nightmarish existence.