Charlie Parker is an African Gray Parrot. He entered the life of Debby and Michael Smith three decades ago when, at the insistence of their young son, Eli, they brought him home from a downtown Manhattan bird shop. He has been an integral, and voluble, member of the family ever since. Charlie's vocabulary is astonishingly diverse and colorful. He can be demanding, squawking imperiously "Clean my cage" or "Want some water." He can be brutally direct, warning an aggressive business associate who had been yelling at Debby "I'm going to kick your ass, you sonofabitch." He can be mischievous, making meowing noises to a neighbor's confused dog in the elevator. Charlie is a survivor. He ended up recovering on an IV after the collapse of the World Trade Center filled the Smiths' apartment with toxic dust. He is often an entertainer, with a songbook that extends across "Home on the Range" to "The Yellow Rose of Texas." And most of the time he is affectionate, often hanging upside down against the side of his cage and demanding to be tickled. In encountering Charlie's tales in this concise and charming book, we come to realize that parrots are intelligent and loving creatures, to an extent that, as the renowned avian scientist Professor Irene Pepperberg points out in her introduction, they cannot meaningfully be owned by humans but only enjoyed as companions.

Updated and Expanded Edition of a Landmark Text on an Urgent Topic Now updated and expanded, this landmark text reveals God's purposes for his covenant people in these times--and how this revelation is impacting the church. Unlike Ruth in the Old Testament, many of us have turned our backs on the Jewish people, the relatives of the Messiah, and we share the collective guilt for centuries of their persecution. These pages remind us that now, more than ever, we must confess, embrace, and intercede for the chosen people of God, aligning our prayers with God's plan. Once again, Israel and her people are center stage at a crucial moment in world history, and this book shows why the church must effect reconciliation and why our prayers are vital in this hour. If we will make the same covenant pledge to Israel that Ruth made to Naomi, the church will never be the same!

Of Life and Horses: Cooperation Through Communication is a must-read for anyone looking to improve the relationship they have with their horse. Many of the issues humans have with horses are based in confusion or misunderstanding. Author Ann Nyberg Bradley presents an in-depth and unparalleled understanding of the communication process with horses based on their nature and how they see their world. This insightful book explains how and why such misunderstandings occur, and helps the reader recognize their role in communication breakdowns. Readers will gain a deep awareness and revise their way of being with horses that in turn will strengthen and redefine their everyday interactions and overall relationship.