The Second Crusade (1145-49) was an ambitious and unprecedented attempt to expand the borders of Christianity in the Holy Land, the Baltic and the Iberian peninsula. Because the expedition to the Levant proved a spectacular failure, historians have largely ignored the impact of this important event. This wide-ranging collection offers a series of original interpretations of partially explored evidence for all three theatres of war. It also considers the planning, execution and consequences of the crusade for western Europe, the Crusader States of the Holy Land and the Muslim Near East. An international group of leading academics have produced a volume that marks a significant contribution to the study of European expansion and the history of the crusades. This work should be of use for researchers, students, scholars and teachers of medieval historians, both students and teaching scholars. -- .

Tom Berenger and Joely Richardson star in this heartwarming festive tale of two broken-hearted souls who find solace in each other's company. Moving to the countryside after the death of her husband, widower Susan McDowell (Richardson) and her grief-ridden son Thomas (Luke Ward-Wilkinson) must start life anew. When a treasured wooden nativity scene that Thomas's father gave to her son is lost, Susan calls on the help of local, ill-tempered woodcarver Jonathan Toomey (Berenger) to recreate the scene. Toomey's own life has been destroyed by the accidental death of his wife and child some years before, and since then he has withdrawn from the close-knit community. Over the course of the coming months, as Thomas is allowed to watch Jonathan work, the relationship between the two develops into a mutually beneficial one, as they both learn to come to terms with their loss, and finally manage to put the past behind them.

A chamber opera, based on Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, for nine singers and six instrumentalists. The duration is approximately 90 minutes. This is a piano score only. The orchestral score is available for rent from the composer.

Craving for a fulfilling, rewarding and gratifying life is overwhelming for George Grey. George Grey, a man in his forties, has come to a point in his life where he no longer can hide the disappointment he feels about his life. One Saturday after celebrating the life of a friend with his two closest childhood friends, he is confronted with the choice of maintaining the distasteful status quo of his life or facing the challenges of changing it.

This book was developed from the collective works of Phillip Martin Williamson, Leon Vaughn Gilchrist, Jr. and Alan H. Smith who make up EASY Ink, a written-word enterprise. Many people entertain the idea of others reading their written thoughts and opinions, but are reluctant to commit them to ink because they are often intimidated by thoughts of others knowing their convictions and opinions, or simply have no forum from which to speak. A few years ago, we started a monthly publication, Easy Times as a method of placing our voice into the marketplace of ideas. Having heard from so many sources on a wide range of topics, we wanted to enter the fray in a way that would encourage others to read, think and possibly discuss rather than rage at one another with the bullhorns that seem to be the norm of today's media. Under the Surface and Beyond the Horizon is the bound collection of the ideas and perspectives shared through Easy Times.

Including stories from the 1700s to today, "Choctaw Tales" showcases the mythic, the legendary and supernatural, the prophecies and histories, the animal fables and jokes that make up the rich and lively Choctaw storytelling tradition. The stories display intelligence, artistry, and creativity as Choctaw narrators, past and present, express and struggle with beliefs, values, humor, and life experiences. Photographs of the storytellers complement the text. For sixteen tales, the Choctaw-language version appears in addition to the English translation.

Many of these stories, passed down through generations, address the Choctaw sense of isolation and tension as storytellers confront eternal, historical, and personal questions about the world and its inhabitants. "Choctaw Tales," the first book to collect these stories, creates a comprehensive gathering of oral traditions from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

Each story brings to life the complex and colorful world of the Choctaw tribe and its legend and lore. The shukha anumpa include tall tales, jokes, and stories of rabbit and turtle and bear. The stories of the elders are populated by spirits that bring warnings and messages to the people. As a whole, these tales provide a spectrum of legend and a glimpse of a vibrant, thriving legacy.