The universally respected NPR journalist and bestselling memoirist Scott Simon makes a dazzling fiction debut. In Pretty Birds, Simon creates an intense, startling, and tragicomic portrait of a classic character–a young woman in the besieged city of Sarajevo in the early 1990s.
In the spring of 1992, Irena Zaric is a star on her Sarajevo high school basketball team, a tough, funny teenager who has taught her parrot, Pretty Bird, to do a decent imitation of a ball hitting a hoop. Irena wears her hair short like k. d. lang’s, and she loves Madonna, Michael Jordan, and Johnny Depp. But while Irena rocks out and shoots baskets with her friends, her beloved city has become a battleground. When the violence and terror of “ethnic cleansing” against Muslims begins, Irena and her family, brutalized by Serb soldiers, flee for safety across the river that divides the city.
If once Irena knew of war only from movies and history books, now she knows its reality. She steals from the dead to buy food. She scuttles under windows in her own home to dodge bullets. She risks her life to communicate with an old Serb school friend and teammate. Even Pretty Bird has started to mimic the sizzle of mortar fire.
In a city starved for work, a former assistant principal offers Irena a vague job, “duties as assigned,” which she accepts. She begins by sweeping floors, but soon, under the tutelage of a cast of rogues and heroes, she learns to be a sniper, biding her time, never returning to the same perch, and searching her targets for the “mist” that marks a successful shot. Ultimately, Irena’s new vocation will lead to complex and cataclysmic consequences for herself and those she loves.
As a journalist, Scott Simon covered the siege of Sarajevo. Here, in a novel as suspenseful as a John le Carré thriller, he re-creates the atmosphere of that place and time and the pain and dark humor of its people. Pretty Birds is a bold departure, and the auspicious beginning of yet another brilliant career for its author.
English I wouldn't change a word! I've seldom read a book in which I wouldn't alter one single word. This is one of those books. Mr. Simon gets it spot-on right. As I read it I did a sort of connect-the-dots thinking of storied he'd filed from his time in Sarajevo. When I'd listen to him I'd think this isn't simply a story for him. He's having a life-altering experience. Pretty Birds is the result of that amazing and terrible time.
This book stands as both a great work of historical fiction and a memorial to those wonderful souls ripped from this world by the hand of tyranny that swept through their lives. Read itand learn. Read it and remember. Read it and laugh as the human spirit struggles to find joy in a joyless slaughter pen. But, most of all, as the popular saying goes, read it and weep.
"An extraordinary book . . . invitingly written and brisk." --Chicago Tribune
"Perhaps no one has ever told the tale [of Robinson's arrival in the major leagues] so well as [Simon] does in this extended essay." --The Washington Post Book World
"Scott Simon tells a compelling story of risk and sacrifice, profound ugliness and profound grace, defiance and almost unimaginable courage. This is a meticulously researched, insightful, beautifully written book, one that should be read, reread, and remembered." --Laura Hillenbrand, author of the New York Times bestseller Seabiscuit
The integration of baseball in 1947 had undeniable significance for the civil rights movement and American history. Thanks to Jackie Robinson, a barrier that had once been believed to be permanent was shattered--paving the way for scores of African Americans who wanted nothing more than to be granted the same rights as any other human being.
In this book, renowned broadcaster Scott Simon reveals how Robinson's heroism brought the country face-to-face with the question of racial equality. From his days in the army to his ascent to the major leagues, Robinson battled bigotry at every turn. Simon deftly traces the journey of the rookie who became Rookie of the Year, recalling the taunts and threats, the stolen bases and the slides to home plate, the trials and triumphs. Robinson's number, 42, has been retired by every club in major league baseball--in homage to the man who had to hang his first Brooklyn Dodgers uniform on a hook rather than in a locker.
English Perfect read for a Saturday morning This book is a perfect two-hour read for a Saturday morning after listening to the author on NPR's Saturday Morning Edition. The reader can hear Mr. Simon's distinctive and familiar voice when reading the pages. The book is not intended to be a comprehensive history on baseball's integration or a biography of Jackie Robinson, as noted in the opening pages. Rather, it provides just the right amount of background on Mr. Robinson and Mr. Richey, as well as the context surrounding events. Mr. Simon's notes and examples stimulate readers to learn more about particular people and events. I particularly recommend this book (and possibly the series from the list of forthcoming books) as a quick read for adults and teenagers who desire to read about the people and events that shaped our nation, yet must balance the responsibilities of family, work and community, which may prevent them from reading longer books.
The acclaimed author of the intensely powerful novel Pretty Birds,Scott Simon now gives us a story that is both laugh-out-loud funny and heart-piercing–as sprawling and brawling as Chicago, where politics is a contact sport.
The mayor of Chicago is found in his office late at night, sitting in his boxer shorts, facedown dead in a pizza. The mayor was a hero and a rascal: dynamic, charming, ingenious, corruptible, and a masterly manipulator. The city mourns. But it’s discovered that the mayor was murdered–shortly after he may have begun to squeal on some of his colleagues at City Hall. Over the next four days, police race to find the mayor’s killer, while the politicians who bemoan his passing scramble for his throne.
At the center is Sundaran “Sunny” Roopini, forty-eight, alderman of the Forty-eighth Ward, and vice-mayor. Sunny is an Indian immigrant, a restaurant owner, and a recent widower. He is getting tired of politics and wants to hold on just long enough to do the best for his two restive teenage daughters. But as acting interim mayor for a few days, Sunny must deal with forty-nineotheraldermen who have their own clashing ambitions. How will Sunny do what’s best for both his family and city in a time of crisis?
As The Last Hurrah embodied urban politics for a previous generation, Windy City captures politics in the multiethnic tumult of today’s big city, where a stalled subway raises fears of a terrorist attack and smoke-filled rooms are abolished by no-smoking statutes. The story takes a raft of colorful characters–pinky-ringed pols, pious reformers, money-grubbers, and wheeler-dealers of every creed, color, and proclivity–through City Hall corridors, neighborhood restaurants and clubs, weddings, sex scandals, gospel churches, police stations, and sting operations to deliver an ending that is unexpectedly noble. Windy City is a roller coaster of a novel that dips and soars through the amusement park of politics. With echoes of Primary Colors and Thank You for Smoking, Windy City will win votes as the best political novel in many years. Its personal story–about a flawed, decent man thrust suddenly under hot lights–will also win hearts.
Praise for Windy City: “Delectable… Offers an insider’s view of the kind of urban political fray–albeit fictional–that Barack Obama emerged from as an Illinois state legislator representing Chicago’s South Side…. Windy City’s articulate and witty protagonist … must juggle dirty secrets and deal making…”–USA Today “Comic but sneakily affecting… The rich multiculturalism of the American city is not a new phenomenon… rarely, however, has it been depicted with such unabashed affection... The zeal with which he celebrates the city, warts and all, is hard to resist.. Simon’s choice of hero…is an immensely appealing figure.”–Washington Post Book World “Pitch-perfect… Scott Simon, NPR host, knows his way around politics… His dialogue throws off sparks and shrieks like a Chicago El-car…Recommended to all political junkies.”–The Roanoke Times (Virginia)
“A hilarious satirical novel about politics.”–Clarence Page, The Chicago Tribune
“Entertaining and well-observed… renders the inner workings of City Hall with wit and aplomb….Some of Simon’s Chicagoans may be con artists, crooks, amoral opportunists or blowhards, sometimes all of the above, but the author still treats them with great affection and respect, creating an impressively large and diverse cast of characters”–Adam Langer, The Chicago Tribune
“[A] great novel… filled with emotional turmoil, gritty political decisions, murders, homicide attempts, a suicide and even a touch of romance…[a] human and fully realized portrait of the people caught up in contemporary public life.”–Time Out Chicago “[A] big-hearted bear-hug of a novel… embracing roots and family, eccentricities and failings, and dappled with the sights, sounds and grit of the Windy City–makes this an energizing and loving contemporary urban fable.”–GO Magazine, AirTran Airways
“A rather sentimental, positive picture of the democratic process.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “Windy City is funny and tender… full of boisterous love for the sport of politics and Chicago. The best political novel in years.”–Christopher Buckley, author of Boomsday and Thank You for Smoking
English A Love Letter to Chicago I spent six years in Evanston as a college student and have been on a Chicagoland board for the past ten years that brings me back 5-6 times a year in all four seasons. So while I live on a "coast", I feel like an adopted Chicagoan.
The murder mystery and all the political intrigue in this novel were finely wrought, but I experienced all of that as large buffet table on which Scott Simon is able to serve up heaping helpings of admiration andlove for all things Chicago:
* The bitter cold winters that serve to bind Chicagoans together, making them stronger, tougher, and better prepared to handle the vicissitudes of life.
* The strong ethnic and racial identities (for better and for worse).
* The emphasis on cooking and especially eating of all different sorts of ethnic and national cuisines.
* Politics as sport. Food as sport. Sports as sport.
* The city that works. Putting aside whatever graft may occur, the idea that every citizen has an Alderman who can help cut through bureaucracy and get problems solved and things done is quite alluring. As if each Alderman is a bit of a super hero.
* The beauty of Lake Michigan, the soaring architectural statements, the bridges over the Chicago River, Millennium Park (with its "bean"), the hustle and bustle of the "El", the Art Institute.
I love this novel for capturing the essence and joy of Chicago.
This book describes the many benefits of index mutual funds. Yet it also provides a framework for understanding why indexing should be the investment strategy for any investor today. This includes an explanation of why Morningstar, Value Line, stockbrokers, investment gurus, the financial media and others so often fail investors. The book also explores the role of index funds in the context of asset allocation and portfolio diversification.
English In-depth coverage of Index Mutual Funds Scott Simon's book thoroughly reviews the many advantages of index funds, and the disadvantages of actively managed mutual funds. Many of the standard arguments are presented--the cost advantage of index funds, the difficulty in picking a superior actively managed mutual fund in advance, etc. But, the author has managed to add a few wrinkles here and there. Did you know that investing in index funds can reduce your stress? Well, according to this book that is one of the more important advantages.
The book is well documented (as you wouldexpect from a former tax lawyer). Of note is a chapter devoted to the "nuts and bolts" of index funds which gives thorough details about the operations of index mutual funds. The appendix also contains good descriptions of the major indexes.
Humorous, touching stories from the National Public Radio archives that capture the essence of fatherhood.
First, what's a "driveway moment"? It's when you're so captivated by a feature story you're hearingon NPR that you stay in your car to hear it to the end—even if you're sitting in your driveway with the motor running, groceries to unpack, and kids to feed. For years, listeners have written to NPR to describe such moments.
The stories in this collection kept dads glued to their bucket seats. Now dad can listen again, at his own pace, to tales for and about fathers. Drawn from All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and other award-winning NPR programs, they include a humorous account of a father's habitual snoring, a dad's reflection on leading his son's boy scout troop, an insightful look at the challenges of being a teenage father, and a touching reminiscence about lessons that NPR host Scott Simon learned from his comedian father. Hosted by Simon, these stories are comforting, bittersweet, and everything in between.
English Heartwarming My daughter gave me this CD for Fathers Day and I was so impressed with it that I bought one for my son and son-in-law for Christmas.
Get the guidance you need in a clear, simple, reader-friendly format!
Every clinician looks for the most effective interventions to apply in group therapy. 101 Interventions in Group Therapy gives practitioners exactly what they are looking for--effective interventions in a clear, simple, reader-friendly format. This comprehensive yet concise guide provides 101 short chapters written by 78 leading well-recognized practitioners explaining step-by-step exactly what to do to provide an effective intervention when something arises in group therapy. Each easy-to-learn intervention is profound in nature and has been shown effective in practice for the author of the chapter.
Each chapter in 101 Interventions in Group Therapy is carefully broken down into logical sections for ease of reading and comprehension. This innovative source clearly explains what steps clinicians need to take for the intervention, provides a description of the appropriate instances in which to apply the intervention, what situational conditions to consider, typical client responses, conclusions, and contraindications. Clinicians will find a treasure trove of helpful ideas and creative interventions in this practical resource.
Interventions discussed in 101 Interventions in Group Therapy include:
who owes you an apology? the group therapist as storyteller animal assisted therapy the use of transitional objects bringing a new member into the group dreams in group therapy the use of humor the use of grammar to increase immediacy and affect silence in group therapy art therapy therapeutic playreading alleviating teachers' stress with a school setting termination ritual diminishing dissociative experiences for war veterans building self-esteem horseback riding workshop responding to aggression nine basic steps necessary for the initiation of a successful group and so muchmore!
101 Interventions in Group Therapy is a powerful collection of effective interventions for educators, students, and practitioners--and should be on the shelf of every academic library.
English Echoing the praise I was delighted to see that other colleagues have the same positive response to Scott Fehr's collection of essays that I do. I first sat down to browse through it to see who else besides me had contributed, and did not look up until hours later. And this is not a novel!! Dr. Fehr is to be commended for putting together such a useful and wide ranging set of essays. I have found several to be very helpful in my practice.
George Saiger, MD, Certified Group Psychotherapist
Rockville MD
Male Bulimia: My Dark Demon is a powerful, firsthand account of author Scott Simon’s triumph over a lifelong deadly disease—bulimia. After developing bulimia while participating in school sports, Scott learned how to hide his disorder. He continued on a downhill slide into drugs, alcohol, and excessive eating. At the age of thirty-two, Scott finally admitted to himself that he needed to make serious changes in his life.
Simon explains his childhood years of tough discipline and high expectations, an adolescence of rebellion and isolation, and adult years consumed by multiple addictions and undiagnosed manic-depression. Simon tells his life story not only for bulimics and anorexics, but also for families and friends who are caught up on the emotional roller coaster of dealing with their loved one’s eating disorder. Male Bulimia: My Dark Demon is also for mental health professionals who understand the seriousness of bulimia and anorexia and who recognize the growing number of bulimic males. For those people slowly killing themselves with bulimia or anorexia, Scott’s story shows that there is hope.
English Powerful account of this author's journey battle with male bulimia Engaging writing style catapults reader into the dark loney world of male bulimia. Think that families, therapists and bulimia sufferers will all be touched by this writer's journey filled with emotional upheaval and hope for recovery.
