Suddenly Twins!

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Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 0743417658
Total Pages : 180 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (434 download)

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Book Synopsis Suddenly Twins! by : John Peel

Download or read book Suddenly Twins! written by John Peel and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-05-11 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It all began the day Chrissie Scott looked into the mirror and saw somebody else's reflection. A boy who looked exactly like her. Nothing would ever be the same again... Suddenly Twins! Chrissie thought she had troubles -- until she fell through the mirror into her double's life. He said his name was Chris, and his world was the mirror image of hers. His world was ruled by magic -- and about to be destroyed by the sorceress Lori Lee! Chris is desperate. He has cast a powerful spell and sees the evil plot. Chrissie is the only one he can trust. Together they must save his world before it's too late. But is Chrissie about to be lost forever in the universe beyond the mirror?

Suddenly Twins

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Author :
Publisher : Turtleback Books
ISBN 13 : 9780606286985
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (869 download)

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Book Synopsis Suddenly Twins by : John Peel

Download or read book Suddenly Twins written by John Peel and published by Turtleback Books. This book was released on 2001-09-01 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chrissie Scott sees a face that is not quite hers in the mirror and passes into a parallel world where everything is not quite the same, and must help Chris, who doesn't have the confidence to do magic well, save his world from powerful sorceress and busi

Deliberately Divided

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Author :
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1538132869
Total Pages : 521 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (381 download)

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Book Synopsis Deliberately Divided by : Nancy L. Segal

Download or read book Deliberately Divided written by Nancy L. Segal and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2021-11-08 with total page 521 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A 2022 Choice Reviews Outstanding Academic Title Takes the first in-depth look at the New York City adoption agency that separated twins and triplets in the 1960s, and the controversial and disturbing study that tracked the children’s development while never telling their adoptive parents that they were raising a “singleton twin.” In the early 1960s, the head of a prominent New York City Child Development Center and a psychiatrist from Columbia University launched a study designed to track the development of twins and triplets given up for adoption and raised by different families. The controversial and disturbing catch? None of the adoptive parents had been told that they were raising a twin—the study’s investigators insisted that the separation be kept secret. Here, Nancy Segal reveals the inside stories of the agency that separated the twins, and the collaborating psychiatrists who, along with their cadre of colleagues, observed the twins until they turned twelve. This study, far outside the mainstream of scientific twin research, was not widely known to scholars or the general public until it caught the attention of documentary filmmakers whose recent films, Three Identical Strangers and The Twinning Reaction,left viewers shocked, angered, saddened and wanting to know more. Interviews with colleagues, friends and family members of the agency’s psychiatric consultant and the study’s principal investigator, as well as a former agency administrator, research assistants, journalists, ethicists, attorneys, and—most importantly--the twins and their families who were unwitting participants in this controversial study, are riveting. Through records, letters and other documents, Segal further discloses the investigators’ attempts to engage other agencies in separating twins, their efforts to avoid media exposure, their worries over informed consent issues in the 1970s and the steps taken toward avoiding lawsuits while hoping to enjoy the fruits of publication. Segal's spellbinding stories of the twins’ separation, loss and reunion offers readers the behind-the-scenes details that, until now, have been lost to the archives of history.

The Mineola Twins

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Author :
Publisher : Dramatists Play Service Inc
ISBN 13 : 9780822216223
Total Pages : 60 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (162 download)

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Book Synopsis The Mineola Twins by : Paula Vogel

Download or read book The Mineola Twins written by Paula Vogel and published by Dramatists Play Service Inc. This book was released on 1999 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE STORY: A comedy in six scenes, four dreams and seven wigs. There are two ways to produce this play: 1) with good wigs; or 2) with bad wigs. The second way is preferred. Myrna and Myra, almost identical twins, battle each other through the Eisen

Fortune's Lone Star Twins

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Author :
Publisher : Harlequin
ISBN 13 : 0369746503
Total Pages : 211 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (697 download)

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Book Synopsis Fortune's Lone Star Twins by : Teri Wilson

Download or read book Fortune's Lone Star Twins written by Teri Wilson and published by Harlequin. This book was released on 2024-04-23 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Fortune is back and determined to reclaim what's his West Fortune thought he could never be with Tabitha Buckingham again. After all, he faked his own death shortly after they broke up. But when the man who threatened him dies in prison, the lawyer is able to show himself in Chatelaine again—only to find out he's a father of Tabitha's twins! And yes, they may have wanted different things years ago, but West is a changed man. Now he just needs to convince Tabitha that they can be the family she's always dreamed of… From Harlequin Fortunes of Texas: Book 1: Fortune's Baby Claim by Michelle Major Book 2: Fortune in Name Only by Tara Taylor Quinn Book 3: Expecting a Fortune by Nina Crespo Book 4: Fortune's Lone Star Twins by Teri Wilson Book 5: Worth a Fortune by Nancy Robards Thompson Book 6: Fortune's Convenient Cinderella by Makenna Lee

Twins - From Fetus to Child

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Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1134504942
Total Pages : 260 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (345 download)

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Book Synopsis Twins - From Fetus to Child by : Alessandra Piontelli

Download or read book Twins - From Fetus to Child written by Alessandra Piontelli and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-09-10 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Though much has been written about twins, very little research has been done into their everyday lives, both postnatal and prenatal. In this fascinating new study Alessandra Piontelli follows the development and behaviour of thirty pairs of twins from their early life in the womb through to their third year of childhood. Drawing on detailed ultrasound observations and work with mothers and families in clinical and natural settings, the text traces the subtle ways in which various types of twins live, behave and interact with their unequally shared and unique pre- and postnatal environments. Piontelli shows how from early on distinctive and personal traits can be seen in the behaviour of each member of a twin couple and how these traits continue and strengthen well beyond birth. The book describes not only the behaviour of the twins, but the impact they have on the lives of their family and carers - what family members say, how they react and how the family changes. Scientifically based, but warmly human in content, this unique longitudinal study offers new insight for professionals working with mothers and families of twins and for researchers in human development across a range of disciplines.

Tales of the Twins

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Author :
Publisher : Austin Macauley Publishers
ISBN 13 : 994879558X
Total Pages : 225 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (487 download)

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Book Synopsis Tales of the Twins by : Twin Jewels

Download or read book Tales of the Twins written by Twin Jewels and published by Austin Macauley Publishers. This book was released on 2023-06-23 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Life is more than the physical objects around us. Life is full of magic. If you believe in magic, you will create it. If you believe in miracles, you will have one. Imagination is one of the blessings that God gave us. Using this blessing or not is your choice. With imagination people created what others thought impossible. 200 years ago, life was different. They had nothing of what we have here nowadays. But with imagination, world development became faster than ever.

The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberry Island

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Author :
Publisher : BoD - Books on Demand
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 118 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (418 download)

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Book Synopsis The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberry Island by : Laura Lee Hope

Download or read book The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberry Island written by Laura Lee Hope and published by BoD - Books on Demand. This book was released on 2023-07-18 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberry Island" is an enchanting children's book written by Laura Lee Hope. It is part of the beloved Bobbsey Twins series. In this thrilling adventure, the Bobbsey Twins—Nan, Bert, Flossie, and Freddie—find themselves on a fascinating journey to Blueberry Island. The Twins are excited to spend their summer vacation on this remote island, known for its abundant blueberry bushes and breathtaking landscapes. As they arrive on Blueberry Island, the Twins are greeted by friendly locals and a sense of tranquility. They embark on explorations, discovering hidden paths, and immersing themselves in the island's natural beauty. Along the way, they encounter wildlife, including birds, rabbits, and even a mischievous squirrel named Snoop. The Twins engage in various activities, such as berry picking, fishing, and picnicking. They make new friends among the islanders and learn about the island's history and folklore. However, their peaceful adventure takes an unexpected turn when they stumble upon a mysterious treasure map. Determined to solve the puzzle and uncover the island's secrets, the Twins embark on a thrilling treasure hunt. Throughout their journey, the Bobbsey Twins demonstrate their resourcefulness, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. They rely on each other and their newfound friends to decipher clues, overcome challenges, and uncover the hidden treasure. As they delve deeper into the island's mysteries, they learn valuable lessons about trust, perseverance, and the importance of friendship. "The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberry Island" is a captivating tale that sparks the imagination of young readers. It combines elements of adventure, mystery, and the wonders of nature, providing an engaging and entertaining reading experience. This delightful book encourages children to embrace their curiosity, appreciate the beauty of the natural world, and cherish the bonds of friendship."

The Sex Lives of Siamese Twins

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Author :
Publisher : Vintage
ISBN 13 : 0385539398
Total Pages : 374 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (855 download)

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Book Synopsis The Sex Lives of Siamese Twins by : Irvine Welsh

Download or read book The Sex Lives of Siamese Twins written by Irvine Welsh and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2015-02-03 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Lucy Brennan, a Miami Beach personal-fitness trainer, disarms an apparently crazed gunman, the police and the breaking-news cameras are not far behind. Within hours, Lucy becomes a hero. The solitary eye-witness, the depressed and overweight Lena Sorenson, thrilled by Lucy's heroism and decisiveness, becomes obsessed with the trainer and enrolls as a client at her Bodysculpt gym. It quickly becomes clear that Lena is more interested in Lucy's body than her own, and a budding fatal attraction takes hold. However, it's when Lucy imprisons Lena, and can't stop thinking about the sex lives of Siamese twins, that the real problems start. In Lucy and Lena, Irvine Welsh has created two of his most memorable female protagonists, and one of the most bizarre, sadomasochistic folie à deux in contemporary fiction. The Sex Lives of Siamese Twins taps into two great obsessions of our time--how we look and where we live--and tells a story so subversive and dark it blacks out the Florida sun.

OMG It's Twins!

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Author :
Publisher : Random House
ISBN 13 : 1473576571
Total Pages : 282 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (735 download)

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Book Synopsis OMG It's Twins! by : Alison Perry

Download or read book OMG It's Twins! written by Alison Perry and published by Random House. This book was released on 2021-03-04 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You’re having twins – don’t panic! There’s little that will prepare you for the moment you hear the words: “You’re having twins!” You might feel shocked, delighted, scared, horrified, amused – or a mixture of all of the above. As a twin mum herself, award-winning parenting blogger and podcaster Alison Perry has first-hand experience with the emotional rollercoaster of having two babies at once. This warm, reassuring book will guide you from the moment you find out, through the pregnancy, birth and beyond. Combining expert advice from midwives, psychotherapists, nutritionists, parenting experts and breastfeeding specialists and more with Alison’s own experiences, as well as relatable anecdotes from other twin mums, it addresses topics including accepting your changing body, the logistics of feeding two babies, and wondering whether you will ever sleep again (answer: yes, you will!). Filled with gorgeous illustrations and easy to digest chapters, this is the perfect gift for anyone who is expecting, or has just welcomed, two little bundles of joy.

Nothing to See Here

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Author :
Publisher : HarperCollins
ISBN 13 : 0062913484
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (629 download)

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Book Synopsis Nothing to See Here by : Kevin Wilson

Download or read book Nothing to See Here written by Kevin Wilson and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2019-10-29 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New York Times Bestseller • A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick! Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, People, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, TIME, The A.V. Club, Buzzfeed, and PopSugar “I can’t believe how good this book is.... It’s wholly original. It’s also perfect.... Wilson writes with such a light touch.... The brilliance of the novel [is] that it distracts you with these weirdo characters and mesmerizing and funny sentences and then hits you in a way you didn’t see coming. You’re laughing so hard you don’t even realize that you’ve suddenly caught fire.” —Taffy Brodesser-Akner, author of Fleishman is in Trouble, New York Times Book Review From the New York Times bestselling author of The Family Fang, a moving and uproarious novel about a woman who finds meaning in her life when she begins caring for two children with a remarkable ability. Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help. Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: the twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth. Thinking of her dead-end life at home, the life that has consistently disappointed her, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other—and stay cool—while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Surprised by her own ingenuity yet unused to the intense feelings of protectiveness she feels for them, Lillian ultimately begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her—urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for? With white-hot wit and a big, tender heart, Kevin Wilson has written his best book yet—a most unusual story of parental love.

New Understandings of Twin Relationships

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Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1000287548
Total Pages : 282 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (2 download)

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Book Synopsis New Understandings of Twin Relationships by : Barbara Klein

Download or read book New Understandings of Twin Relationships written by Barbara Klein and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-12-23 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New Understandings of Twin Relationships takes an experience-based approach to exploring how twin attachment and estrangement are critical to understanding the push and pull of closely entwined personal relationships. Based on the research expertise of each of the authors (all identical twins in their own right), and vignettes from twins across the globe, this book describes the inner workings of the twin-world, showing how the twin-world creates experiences that are often more intense and intricately textured than those in the singleton-world. Chapters debunk myths surrounding twinship and analyze the developmental stages of the twin relationship as well as the effect of being a twin on one’s mental health from different perspectives. The authors articulate how attachment, separation anxiety, loneliness, estrangement, and the subjective experience of the twin and non-twin "other" impact behavior, thinking, and feeling. Through its careful study of the many psychological challenges that twins face throughout their lifetime, this text will help psychologists, scholars, clinicians, and twins themselves attain a deeper understanding of all interpersonal relationships.

The Pepsi Cola Addict

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Author :
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 1913689727
Total Pages : 146 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (136 download)

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Book Synopsis The Pepsi Cola Addict by : June-Alison Gibbons

Download or read book The Pepsi Cola Addict written by June-Alison Gibbons and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2023-05-30 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The legendary lost novel in which fourteen-year-old Preston Wildey-King must choose between his all-consuming passion for Pepsi Cola and his love for schoolmate Peggy. "He walked into the turbulent super market. There were people everywhere. His eyes swept over the shelves and stabilised on a large stack of Pepsi-colas. He could almost experience the cool fizzy liquid descending his parched throat." Written by June-Alison Gibbons when she was only 16, The Pepsi Cola Addict is considered one of the great works of twentieth-century outsider literature. More than just a literary curiosity, however, this tale of a teenager whose passion for a well-known cola drink threatens to ruin his life is the uniquely vivid expression of a young woman trying to make sense of the confusing, often brutal world she in which found herself. Published in 1982 by a vanity press who took £800 from its young author and gave her only a single book in return, it's thought that fewer than ten original copies still exist in the world. Shortly after its publication, June-Alison and her sister Jennifer would become infamous as "The Silent Twins" and find themselves cruelly incarcerated for over a decade in Broadmoor Hospital. This author-approved edition makes June-Alison Gibbon's remarkable vision widely available for the first time.

Twins and Deviance

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Author :
Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1443899046
Total Pages : 180 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (438 download)

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Book Synopsis Twins and Deviance by : Carmen M. Cusack

Download or read book Twins and Deviance written by Carmen M. Cusack and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2016-08-17 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book draws on nearly one thousand cases and anecdotes about twins bending and breaking rules in order to fulfill or flout tenets of twinhood. Society’s unwillingness to contextualize mores and policies to suit twins may perpetuate controversy and law-breaking. Twins and Deviance shows how twins’ allegedly sacred bond violates conventions beginning at conception. Throughout their lives, they may be victimized, tortured, and neglected specifically because of their bond. Twins have lives that matter – their bond is not static or unconditional, it may be fluent and emotional. The book paints a picture of twin individuals whose lives relate to contemporary readers’ and audiences’ lives because they are weird, eccentric, ritualized, fetishized, pornographized, criminalized, and chastised by society; but what is especially interesting about twins is that society has institutionalized controversial practices and traditions sometimes implicitly or explicitly demanding that twinhood be realized or dishonored so that twins comply with social norms and expectations. Offering a truculent, unpretentious, and straightforward representation of contemporary society, Twins and Deviance does not defend or defy society’s strange, niche, and shaded view of twins. Rather, it artfully and sensitively depicts twins as historically and presently seeming like gods, heroes, renegades, saviors, mutations, terrorists, gangs, and betrayers; and skillfully discusses twins’ bodies to elucidate their individuality, decode their correspondence, and explore analytical tributaries new to sociocultural research. Using vivid examples, Twins and Deviance postulates that twins intrigue and entrance singletons because they deviate from norms, embody principles of duality, fulfill self-reflexive fantasies, and symbolize eternal life and the afterlife. The value of twins and twinhood to singletons is evident in psychoanalysis, reflections, religion and mythology, words, and politics; and yet, this is the only book to bring to light the immense depth of this captivating insight. Twins and Deviance challenges and improves previous research by collecting new topics to retool twins and deviance discussions. As such, it is a must-read for students, professors, and audiences engaging in gender, justice, sexuality, legal, and cultural studies, and all researchers conducting twin studies.

Twins And Rivals

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Author :
Publisher : Sordelet Ink
ISBN 13 : 1944540849
Total Pages : 404 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (445 download)

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Book Synopsis Twins And Rivals by : Nellie Bly

Download or read book Twins And Rivals written by Nellie Bly and published by Sordelet Ink. This book was released on 2021-03-16 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An astonishing discovery! Available for the first time in 125 years, the Lost Novels Of Nellie Bly! Pioneering undercover journalist Nellie Bly is rightly famous for exposing society's ills. From brutal insane asylums to corrupt politicians, she exposed all manner of frauds and charlatans. She was also a skilled interviewer and reporter. What no one has known was that she was also a novelist. This is because, of the twelve novels Bly wrote between 1889 and 1895, eleven of have been lost. Until now. Newly discovered by author David Blixt (What Girls Are Good For, The Master Of Verona), Nellie Bly's lost works of fiction are now available for the first time! Complete with the original artwork! These are The Lost Novels of Nellie Bly! Dimple and Della disagree. The twins have differing views of love. Dimple plans to wed for wealth, freeing her family from the weight of poverty. Della, however, plans to only marry for love. Despite their love for each other, each twin finds the other foolish in regards to the purpose of matrimony. When Dimple marries the old millionaire Mr. Darlington, she thinks she has won the prize. But soon she finds life in a mansion is filled with crippling loneliness. On a visit to her sister, she finds herself rescued from certain death by a handsome stranger, and realizes at once that Della has been right all along. Love is all that matters in the world. But even if she were not already tied to the grumbling and jealous Darlington, there is another obstacle to Dimple’s happiness. The man she loves is already betrothed—to Dimple’s sister Della! A passionate story of desire and denial, this final novel of Nellie Bly’s pen is perhaps her most prescient, mirroring events of her life to come. Not based on her reporting but on her own questions of love and the duality of her own nature, Bly plays out the questions that vex her in . . .Twins & Rivals!

Twins for the Neurosurgeon

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Author :
Publisher : Harlequin
ISBN 13 : 0369712196
Total Pages : 176 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (697 download)

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Book Synopsis Twins for the Neurosurgeon by : Louisa Heaton

Download or read book Twins for the Neurosurgeon written by Louisa Heaton and published by Harlequin. This book was released on 2021-09-28 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two tiny heartbeats… …will change their lives forever! In this Reunited at St. Barnabas’s Hospital story, top neurosurgeons Samantha Gordon and Yanis Baptiste spend one unforgettable night together in Paris. Their reunion in London proves even more explosive when they discover Sam is pregnant with twins! Neither Sam nor Yanis is prepared for parenthood, but those two tiny heartbeats could help them find the family neither of them believed they would ever have… Reunited at St. Barnabas’s Hospital duet Book 1 – Twins for the Neurosurgeon by Louisa Heaton Book 2 – The Doctor’s Reunion to Remember by Annie Claydon “…Louisa Heaton is definitely a writer after my own heart, creating heartwarming romance with ambitious conflicts, compelling medical drama and amazing locales. I look forward to escaping with Heaton’s next release!” -Goodreads on Risking Her Heart on the Trauma Doc “Ms. Heaton pens a story that is sure to keep the reader engaged and cheering her characters on in their journey to a HEA and this one is up there with the best…. This really is a beautiful moving story…I do highly recommend for anyone who loves a good romance….” -Goodreads on Pregnant by the Single Dad Doc

I Know This Much Is True

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Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780060391621
Total Pages : 884 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (916 download)

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Book Synopsis I Know This Much Is True by : Wally Lamb

Download or read book I Know This Much Is True written by Wally Lamb and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1998-06-03 with total page 884 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With his stunning debut novel, She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb won the adulation of critics and readers with his mesmerizing tale of one woman's painful yet triumphant journey of self-discovery. Now, this brilliantly talented writer returns with I Know This Much Is True, a heartbreaking and poignant multigenerational saga of the reproductive bonds of destruction and the powerful force of forgiveness. A masterpiece that breathtakingly tells a story of alienation and connection, power and abuse, devastation and renewal--this novel is a contemporary retelling of an ancient Hindu myth. A proud king must confront his demons to achieve salvation. Change yourself, the myth instructs, and you will inhabit a renovated world. When you're the same brother of a schizophrenic identical twin, the tricky thing about saving yourself is the blood it leaves on your bands--the little inconvenience of the look-alike corpse at your feet. And if you're into both survival of the fittest and being your brother's keeper--if you've promised your dying mother--then say so long to sleep and hello to the middle of the night. Grab a book or a beer. Get used to Letterman's gap-toothed smile of the absurd, or the view of the bedroom ceiling, or the influence of random selection. Take it from a godless insomniac. Take it from the uncrazy twin--the guy who beat the biochemical rap. Dominick Birdsey's entire life has been compromised and constricted by anger and fear, by the paranoid schizophrenic twin brother he both deeply loves and resents, and by the past they shared with their adoptive father, Ray, a spit-and-polish ex-Navy man (the five-foot-six-inch sleeping giant who snoozed upstairs weekdays in the spare room and built submarines at night), and their long-suffering mother, Concettina, a timid woman with a harelip that made her shy and self-conscious: She holds a loose fist to her face to cover her defective mouth--her perpetual apology to the world for a birth defect over which she'd had no control. Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities: the seemingly strong and protective yet fearful Dominick, his mother's watchful "monkey"; and the seemingly weak and sweet yet noble Thomas, his mother's gentle "bunny." From childhood, Dominick fights for both separation and wholeness--and ultimately self-protection--in a house of fear dominated by Ray, a bully who abuses his power over these stepsons whose biological father is a mystery. I was still afraid of his anger but saw how he punished weakness--pounced on it. Out of self-preservation I hid my fear, Dominick confesses. As for Thomas, he just never knew how to play defense. He just didn't get it. But Dominick's talent for survival comes at an enormous cost, including the breakup of his marriage to the warm, beautiful Dessa, whom he still loves. And it will be put to the ultimate test when Thomas, a Bible-spouting zealot, commits an unthinkable act that threatens the tenuous balance of both his and Dominick's lives. To save himself, Dominick must confront not only the pain of his past but the dark secrets he has locked deep within himself, and the sins of his ancestors--a quest that will lead him beyond the confines of his blue-collar New England town to the volcanic foothills of Sicily 's Mount Etna, where his ambitious and vengefully proud grandfather and a namesake Domenico Tempesta, the sostegno del famiglia, was born. Each of the stories Ma told us about Papa reinforced the message that he was the boss, that he ruled the roost, that what he said went. Searching for answers, Dominick turns to the whispers of the dead, to the pages of his grandfather's handwritten memoir, The History of Domenico Onofrio Tempesta, a Great Man from Humble Beginnings. Rendered with touches of magic realism, Domenico's fablelike tale--in which monkeys enchant and religious statues weep--becomes the old man's confession--an unwitting legacy of contrition that reveals the truth's of Domenico's life, Dominick learns that power, wrongly used, defeats the oppressor as well as the oppressed, and now, picking through the humble shards of his deconstructed life, he will search for the courage and love to forgive, to expiate his and his ancestors' transgressions, and finally to rebuild himself beyond the haunted shadow of his twin. Set against the vivid panoply of twentieth-century America and filled with richly drawn, memorable characters, this deeply moving and thoroughly satisfying novel brings to light humanity's deepest needs and fears, our aloneness, our desire for love and acceptance, our struggle to survive at all costs. Joyous, mystical, and exquisitely written, I Know This Much Is True is an extraordinary reading experience that will leave no reader untouched.