LITMIR.BIZ

Growing up spitting distance from the crashing and churning Pacific Ocean, Eddie Hall finds he has quite the talent for spotting agates. As his love for combing his favorite beaches grows, his eye and knowledge of nature sharpen. Despite his love for the shore, he feels a pull to find his course through life. As with most, it is a question of taking the lead or getting pushed from behind. Eddie is truly not sure where he wants to lead himself. But, through luck and hard work, he finds his way as a surveyor and meets the woman of his dreams. The two, deeply committed to each other, join a common path that leads across the United States and through Europe and Africa. But, as Eddie digs deeper into work, he finds himself entangled in dilemmas that his mind may try to ignore but that his heart can never forget. The more levels of corporate corruption Eddie uncovers, the more he realizes he must fight to make a difference. With the help of those close to him, Eddie uses his keen agate-hunting eyes to scan for any clues he can find to help bring the truth to the surface.

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Ann may have been a product of her times–she was certainly, if possibly unwittingly, a product of her grandmother Isabelle. While Ann may have been molded by external forces, Isabelle was a force unto herself–a pacesetter, an indomitable woman of her times. Isabelle forged avenues that were often not taken by women of her day, even foreshadowing changes in perception that were still years away. Yet, in spite of her often avant-garde actions, her prejudices were unwavering and largely myopic. While Isabelle's single-mindedness was mimicked, even magnified by her granddaughter, Ann would never acknowledge that she was her grandmother's facsimile. She believed she was her own woman and headed to the top. Ann was a manipulator and a schemer. Sadly, Ann left very little good in her wake. The lives of Ann and Isabelle touched many; dragging some under, pushing others aside, and overpowering those close to them. Their lives served as textbook cases of bigotry and discrimination that are warnings that tolerance and acceptance are key to our social fabric.

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As a young man, Michel van Leuven, the son of a hard-working Belgian stevedore, joined the church and followed his religious compass to the Abbey of the Brothers of Piety in Central Africa–thereafter being known to most as Brother 6Mike. Brother Mike found he had exceptional skills organizing things: the Abbey's businesses, personal relationships, and even others' lives. The story follows Brother Mike as he moves from one crisis to the next, whether it be securing food for the Abbey's kitchens, helping an alcoholic chemistry professor, or trying to survive during a tumultuous period when all is being pulled to-and-fro by great political upheaval. Through his various tests, Brother Mike gains support from Philip, his card-playing and beer-drinking friend, as well as Philip's wife Angela. During all his challenges, Brother Mike questions his own and others' motives–delving into the deep crevices of why we do what we do–seeking solace at a favorite fishing hole, with dear friends, or through prayer. Ultimately, Brother Mike learns he must tolerate his weaknesses, accept the unknown, and realize that at the end of the day we all share in a great basket of human frailty.

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Many of us live dual lives, as though we live in two worlds. This divergence is perhaps greatest for those embedded in what may be called «multiculturalism.» Multicultural people, with their unique life experiences, are migrating around the globe, carrying their own baggage while they face the demands of living in new and strange lands. The short stories in this collection look at the daily tests facing people, frequently in Africa, as they struggle to survive, often in a rapidly changing world. These observations are made through the lens of an outsider–someone from a different culture, with different habits, seeing and learning how these trials are met–seeing and learning that people, regardless of ethnicity, share a common humanity that makes taking these tests poignant and, at times, a true reflection of the human condition. The stories focus on farmers and families, business and traditional leaders, the poor and the rich as they move through life's pathways, not knowing the changes in store for tomorrow. The stories tell tales of sadness and success, while underscoring the common denominators we all share. The stories may be seen as representing a different world, but they most likely represent the whole world.

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