Author to Author: Jennifer Haupt and Ele Pawelski

Author to Author: Jennifer Haupt and Ele Pawelski

Ele Pawelski, author of The Finest Supermarket in Kabul, and Jennifer Haupt, author of In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills, talk crossing the lines between fiction and nonfiction. Both have travelled extensively through conflict zones and have crafted fictional works that incorporate pieces of their harrowing, moving experiences. Jennifer Haupt: How long did you spend in Kabul, and why did you decide to write a novella instead of a memoir? Ele Pawelski: I was in Kabul for just under 18…

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Gift Ideas to Delight the Booklover in Your Life

Gift Ideas to Delight the Booklover in Your Life

by: Greer Macallister Finding the right gift to give can be a challenge, and sometimes even if you’ve narrowed it down to a category, the exact right choice within that category can be unclear. Take, for example, books. If you have readers in your family or friend circle, you know they’ll appreciate a book, but how do you choose which one to give? You may or may not have a chance to check their shelves, and asking directly about their…

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Gratitude: A New Holiday From An Old Tradition

Gratitude: A New Holiday From An Old Tradition

by: Fahrin Kermally “Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seeker’s life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.” – Sri Chinmoy  With another holiday season upon us, this is the time of year when we start to get bogged down in decorations, gifts and parties. And while those things are fun and joyful and offer a chance to share happiness with those around us, it’s…

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Paradise in Flames: Losing the Town I Loved

Paradise in Flames: Losing the Town I Loved

by: Dena Moes “You should look at the smoke behind your house,” my neighbor said while pointing. “You really should look.” After a restless night’s sleep, I had woken up tired. My usually cheerful fifteen year old Sophia, who considered herself our “only child” now that her sister had left for college, woke up too late for breakfast and couldn’t find her shoes. Our morning was punctuated by yelling, which finally stopped when the carpool arrived. After they pulled out…

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Out of the Ordinary: Christmas Treasures

Out of the Ordinary: Christmas Treasures

by: Trish Cantillon On the first Thursday of December my mom and I would do our “Christmas walk” through Beverly Hills. Back then, Thursday was the only night stores were open past six o’clock. We’d drive the few blocks from our house and park across the street from Good Shepherd Church, the same place we parked every Sunday for Mass. The stained glass windows that lined the side of the church looked spooky in the dark, but the two Mission-style…

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