uuworld.org : Editors' blog

Book by UU authors: See you at Harry’s

Allison Bennett — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:10:32 +0000

See you at Harry’s. By Jo Knowles. Candlewick, 2012. Jo Knowles is an active member of the First Unitarian Society of Hartland, Vt. Over the past six years Knowles has written several books focusing on the hardships adolescents and teenagers face. This book is about Fern, a twelve-year-old who feels invisible in her won family. Her father’s focused on the family business, her mother prefers to meditate, and older siblings have their own lives while her three-year-old “surprise” baby brother, Charlie, is the center of everyone’s world. Her only solace is Ran, her best friend, and his mantra of “All will be well.” But when the unexpected causes the family to begin to fall apart, Fern feels responsible and more alone than ever, and is positive that all will not be well. It will certainly never be the same. This book is for ages 10 and up.

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Books by UU author: TV on strike: Why Hollywood went to war over the Internet

Allison Bennett — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 20:50:42 +0000

TV on strike: Why Hollywood went to war over the Internet. By Cynthia Littleton. Syracuse University Press, 2012. Cynthia Littleton is a member of the UU Community Church in Santa Monica, Calif. She is deputy editor of Variety and has written for UU World magazine on several occasions. The book looks at the 100-day strike by the Writers Guild of America in late 2007-early 2008. The strike was a fight about many of the issues that are riling up Hollywood: digital distribution, changing viewer behavior, competition from lower-cost entertainment alternatives, etc. The book uses the story of the conflict and the colorful characters who drove it, as a framework to examine the transformation of the television business.

Littleton’s UU World articles.

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Book by UU author: The webs of Varok

Allison Bennett — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 20:08:57 +0000

The webs of Varok. By Cary Neeper. Penscript Publishing House, 2012. Cary Neeper joined the Unitarian Universalist fellowship in Los Alamos, N.Mex., in 1968 and remains an active member today. This is the second title in her young adult/crossover science fiction series The Archives of Varok. In the book, Tandra Grey has crossed millions of miles of empty space to live with her adopted family on Varok, with its promise of stability for her young daughter. But like any garden, this world depends on its caretakers, and someone is sowing bad seeds. Tandra, the elll Conn, and the varok Orram must trust each other’s alien talents to restore balance for Varok and their fragile new family. The book will be available to order on December 4, 2012, but preview chapters can be read on the book’s website.

Links to purchase the book from online booksellers will be added December 4th, 2012 to the book’s home page.

Book by UU author: The evolution of a Western god: 30,000 B.C.E. to the now

Allison Bennett — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:10:28 +0000

The evolution of a Western god: 30,000 B.C.E. to the now. By Maurice Webster. Mill City Press, 2011. Maurice Webster is a member of the UU Congregation of Santa Fe, N.Mex. It is an exploration into the beliefs, visualizations, and perceptions of God over the millennia. Made of three parts, the story focuses primarily on the influences affecting the dominant visions of God in Europe and the Americas. A scholarly ride from pre-history to the present, it covers the history of monotheistic, western religion and science, and where they met and where they diverged.

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Book by UU author: Youth ministry advising: A complete guide

Allison Bennett — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:08:49 +0000

Youth ministry advising: A complete guide. Edited by Carey McDonald and Jeremie Bateman. Unitarian Universalist Association, 2012. Carey McDonald was a member of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee. Put together by the UUA’s Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, this book offers tools and advice for youth advisors, religious educators, ministers, and others. It covers topics ranging from ways to support adults working with youth, youth group management, creating safe spaces, leadership training, and programming and project ideas.

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Book by UU author: Slant of light

Allison Bennett — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 17:15:53 +0000

Slant of light. By Steve Wiegenstein. Blank Slate Press, 2012. Steve Wiegenstein is a long-time member of the Unitarian Church of Quincy, Ill. The book is about James Turner, a charming writer and lecturer, Charlotte, his down-to-earth bride, and Cabot, an idealist Harvard-educated abolitionist, all dream of building a utopian society. Drawn together in a social experiment deep in the Missouri Ozarks, and with the Civil War looming, they are confronted with the hardships of building and sustaining a new community and struggle with staying neutral in the dividing country.

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Book by UU author: 2095: A year of love and longing

Allison Bennett — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:51:51 +0000

2095: A year of love and longing. By Roberta Crawford Morency. Roberta Crawford Morency, 2011. Roberta Crawford Morency is a member of the First UU Congregation of the Palm Beaches, Fla. 2095 is a sci-fi novel that takes place on the fortieth anniversary of the 2055 global warming Catastrophe. Pierre, a Montreal Frenchman, monitors the population and solves everybody’s love problems but his own, while London dweller Isabelle struggles and fails to not fall in love with him. Famous Paris singer Julien d’Amours is a man woman adore, but he wants Isabelle, while George, who has trouble with women, settles for Victoria, a robot designed to please a man. 2095 is a year they will never forget.

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Book by UU author: The iron elephant

Allison Bennett — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:24:06 +0000

The iron elephant. By Roberta Crawford. Vida Publishing, 2001. Roberta Crawford is a member of the First UU Congregation of the Palm Beaches, Fla. who had been prescribed iron for her anemia and nearly died from it. Because of this, in 1980 she founded an international corporation, Iron Overload Diseases Assn, Inc. so that others would not suffer what she almost did. This book is about the dangers of iron overload diseases.

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Book by UU author: A season of non-violence: 64 ways for 64 days

Allison Bennett — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:47:46 +0000

A season of non-violence: 64 ways for 64 days. By Pummy Kaur. First Choice Books, 2011. Pummy Kaur has been a member of Free Church Unitarian in Blaine, Wash. for almost 30 years. This book supplies readers with 64 suggestions, which are intended to be contemplated and implemented into their lives during the Season of Non-Violence. These suggestions are meant to provide readers with the means necessary to bring peace into their own lives, and perhaps, someday, to the world.

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Book by UU author: The Haiku Tao Te Ching: Wisdom of the Tao for people in a hurry

Allison Bennett — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:37:05 +0000

The Haiku Tao Te Ching: Wisdom of the Tao for people in a hurry. By Tom F. Lang. AuthorHouse, 2011. Thomas Lang is a member of the UU Church of Ogden, Utah. A long-time student of the Tao and fascinated by the Haiku art form, Lang decided to combine the two. Lang creates a new interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, an ancient classic, by utilizing the brevity of Haiku to make a collection of 81 concise nuggets of Eastern wisdom.

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