Whale Song

Amberg, Jay

Literature & Fiction

Amika Press

The most lethal poison ever concocted is about to be loosed on Las Vegas. TV reporter Andrew Wright is the only one who can stop the apocalypse. But the fanatics he confronts aren't playing by rules that he, or any of us, can truly understand. While lunatics on the fringes receive so much media attention, Wright must resist the spotlight and somehow do the right thing. He must make the decisions that all truly patriotic Americans now face.

America's Fool

Jay Amberg

In 1953/54, the United States was changing--and so, too, was our National Pastime. ‘The Off Season’ is John Oelerich’s poetic tribute to baseball in an era when the color barrier was breaking down and new talent was arriving from other countries. We revisit the Polo Grounds and Shibe and Ebbets and Sportsman’s Park. We meet again the National League’s heroes and villains--Jackie Robinson, Warren Spahn, Bobby Thomson, Stan the Man Musial, and Leo the Lip Durocher. Umpires Jocko Conlon, Al Barlick, and Augie Donatelli call balls and strikes. Hall of Famers Waite Hoyt, Vin Scully, Russ Hodges, Jack Brickhouse, Harry Caray, and Pittsburgh’s incomparable Bob Prince announce the games. It’s all here, including--at least for one more moment--mitts on the field.

The Off Season: National League 1953/54

Sports & Outdoors

Oelerich, John

Baseball

Each of our lives is a voyage of discovery. In Whale Song, we hear the voice of a fellow traveler, an albino sperm whale. We hear of life in his words—the joys of family, the pain of loss, the confusion and frustrations of a changing environment—familiar aspects of life even in the ocean. His observations and insights give us much to consider. If we listen, we may better understand how we affect the global society, and what we now need to do.  Twenty percent of all proceeds will be donated to The Nature Conservancy.

Genre Fiction

Lisa Locascio, University of Southern California, Recipient of the 2011 John Steinbeck Award for Fiction: “In a time when the importance of teachers has been unfairly challenged, Bob Boone gives us a collection of simply told, hard-edged tales from the lives of educators and their students. These rich, multifaceted stories ring true with details gleaned over the course of a full life. Reading them, one feels as if they are entering another version of our familiar reality, where secrets thrive in quiet classrooms and a passionate love of the pitfalls and victories of teaching motivates the creation of narrative.”Billy Lombardo, Author, The Man with Two Arms, Recipient of the 2011 Nelson Algren Award for the Short Story: “These aren’t your typical teacher stories. In the living and breathing world of brick, glass and glue sticks, we want our teachers to leave their real lives—their darknesses, their longings, their secrets and desires—back at their desks and locked in their lockers in the faculty room. But this is Bob Boone’s school. There is no safe place here for the containment of these things. The best Boone’s characters can do is take off their jackets at the door, empty the pockets of their pants—their shreds and crumplings, their histories and regret, their hearts and longings—stuff it all in the pockets and sleeves of their jackets, drape their coats over the backs of their chairs, and just like the rest of us, cross their fingers and pray to God that nothing falls out before the bell rings.”Milos Stehlik, Critic for Worldview on WBEZ/Chicago Public Radio: “The stories are wonderful and beautifully written, with insights into the interior of a parallel, minimalist universe of the everyday. What makes these stories ultimately so arresting is how they capture the quiet, unspoken fears, the normalcy of unfinished relationships, and the inner strength it takes to face each day. The quietness of the stories belies their energy and the resilience of the characters which becomes a moving celebration of the human spirit.”Larry Starzec, Fiction Editor, Willow Review, Professor of English at College of Lake County: “Bob Boone gives us an insider’s view into the world of Forest High. These stories are spare, terse and capture the quirkiness of characters and circumstance utterly consistent with the world of schools—a world where, as Boone well knows, every story implies another. An astute observer, Bob Boone writes with humor, compassion and insight.”John O’Connor, Author, Wordplaygrounds, Teacher at New Trier High School: “Implicit in these tales are basic human questions: what does it mean to be a good teacher or a good person? What, for that matter, is meant by the phrase ‘good school’? In this age of standardized tests and the relentless attempt at quantifying students and teachers alike, Bob’s stories offer a refreshingly human portrayal of his characters. He never fails to see the comedy in the conflict between the conventional and unconventional, and he portrays his characters with nothing less than a sympathetic eye. In these stories, Bob always looks beyond the Forest to the individual trees.”

Forest High: Short Stories (The Forest High Stories)

Boone, Bob

Short Stories & Anthologies

The most lethal poison ever concocted is about to be loosed on Las Vegas. TV reporter Andrew Wright is the only one who can stop the apocalypse. Confronted by madness on all sides, he stumbles into a conspiracy of racial, religious and military fanatics. His only allies are a beautiful Iranian doctor and a mysterious desert wanderer. But who can he really trust? While lunatics on the fringes receive so much media attention, Wright must resist the spotlight and somehow do the right thing. He must make the decisions that truly patriotic Americans now face.

America's Fool: Las Vegas & The End of the World

Contemporary

Part of The Special Collections and Preservation Division at the Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Public Library Mike Leonard, NBC News correspondent: “This is storytelling at its best. With insight, compassion and humor Peter Nolan turns a semi-forgotten big city mayoral battle into a riveting and timeless tale of human behavior…the good and the bad.” From the Foreword by F. Richard Ciccone, Author of Daley: Power and Presidential Politics and Mike Royko: A Life in Print; former Managing Editor of the Chicago Tribune: “In Campaign!, veteran newsman Peter Nolan, who covered all the players in the 1983 contest, has written a first-hand account of not only the key participants, the candidates and their top supporters, but also of relatively unknown election workers who invested their time and passions in a way not seen since in Chicago politics. Nolan does not shy from inserting himself into the story where it warrants. His tale of being recruited by Epton as potential City Hall press secretary is only one of the anecdotes that reflects on how unusual the campaign seemed…This is a book that every Chicago politician ought to keep under his pillow…There is never enough history, and this is a nice slice of it.”

Campaign!: The 1983 Election that Rocked Chicago

History

Nolan, Peter

Americas

Gold Medal Winner, Environmental Issues, 2014 Literary Classics Awards Bronze Medal Winner, Nature Conservation, 2013 Living Now Evergreen Book Awards Redwoods thrive for centuries in the coastal regions of America’s Pacific Northwest. A monarch butterfly takes the amazing journey from the Northern meadow of its birth to its winter roost in the mountains of Central Mexico. The mother of four wolf pups leads her family through the Arctic’s stark terrain and bitter storms. One of the greatest seagoing mammals roams the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of Alaska to the Galapagos. All of these voices speak to us of the meaning we seek in our lives.  Jennifer Huffman, Independent Publisher Review: “Finally, a book about nature written by nature. In a collection of four short stories, author Jay Amberg chronicles the lives and journeys of four life forms by giving them each a voice. In their own words, an Arctic wolf, a migrating monarch butterfly, a lone sperm whale, and a Pacific Northwest redwood tree paint a picture of how they interact with their environment, emphasizing their daily fight to survive.  “As the book unfolds, a reoccurring life cycle theme emerges. Throughout each story, the reader’s frame of mind is transformed to that of the organism because Amberg presents the struggle to survive from its point of view. To complicate the fight for survival, each story also contains ominous hints about the presence of man and evidence of his impact on the organism’s life and habitat.  “The first story revolves around the life cycle of a redwood grove. The redwood describes what physical processes affect the growth of the stand and how it thrives in a stable cycle of birth, growth, death, decay, and rebirth. But it is troubling when the redwood describes how, over time, the air has become drier, temperatures have increased, the river floods more frequently, the floods are more severe, and the rainy season is shorter.  “The themes of the remaining stories are similar. A monarch butterfly details the stages of his short life and basic needs. After succumbing to his urge to migrate, he takes his final journey but is not able to find the forested winter roosting area. An Arctic wolf courageously leads her pack in the fight against starvation, rival wolves, and brutal cold while she raises her litter of pups with tenderness and care. However, she is set on edge due to brief encounters with an unfamiliar creature that lurks about near the edge of her pack. Finally, a mature male sperm whale tells of his life experiences from birth to maturity and the never ending migration he must make between northern and southern oceans. His story is distressing as he recalls details of man’s historical slaughtering of his species along with the effects of global warming and environmental pollution on the oceans.  “In the end, by having the plants and animals tell their own stories about their fight for survival in delicately balanced ecosystems, Amberg effectively persuades the reader that protection of these systems is essential. By framing the stories from the creature’s point of view, he provides a sometimes warm, yet sometimes tragic, read which engages the reader from start to finish.”

Cycle

Literary

Originally given by Charles H.C. Kim at The Peace School, this book’s 31 talks offer practical yet profound insight into becoming a person of peace amid the challenges we face in today’s world. Peace Breathing combines the vital energy of breath with the powerful energy of thought to calm your mind, reduce stress, and open your heart to your true self. Kim draws on more than 45 years of meditation practice and uses vivid stories and examples from nature and everyday life to show how we can bring peace to ourselves and the world. Charles H.C. Kim is President of The Peace School, a non-profit, educational organization founded in Chicago by his father in 1972. Kim began his lifelong practice of meditation when he was in elementary school. He teaches Peace Breathing Meditation, Peace Yoga and Traditional Tae Kwon Do. He believes these practices have the power to build world peace, one person at a time. Jack Magnus, Readers’ Favorite: “Each of the 31 stories in this book are designed to help facilitate the realization that you can be a part of world peace in your everyday life.… I’ve found myself Peace Breathing throughout the day and even sometimes when I wake up at night. I love the idea of being part of a movement towards world peace, and the act of peace breathing does actually bring peace and tranquility.” Deborah Lloyd, Readers’ Favorite: “The suggested way to absorb the wisdom contained in this book is to read one lesson each morning and meditate on it throughout the day.… The meditative technique, called Peace Breathing, is one of the simplest and most profound ways to bring calmness to a hectic lifestyle. It can be done anywhere or anytime, with no one else being any the wiser. However, over time, coworkers, friends and family members may notice the peacefulness emanating from you. One of the best features of this book is that each lesson is easy to understand and relatable to every reader.… The author writes in a smooth, flowing manner, adding to the seeming simplicity of each chapter. Yet, each one is thought-provoking, with layers of meaning within the lessons. Additionally, how one person’s energy affects the entire world is well explained.” Sherri Fulmer Moorer, Readers’ Favorite: “Talks on practical, everyday issues we face such as building a solid foundation, keeping calm deep within, accepting the unexpected, healthy relationships and connections with others, achieving balance, individuality, embracing energy, and living in harmony with all around you. The content in these talks gives you wise parables, deep insights, and support through meditation in a direct manner that’s easy to read, easy to comprehend, and gives wise insight for living a good life.… The stories and experiences are widely diverse and are clear in meaning and easy to interpret in your own life.”

Peace Breathing: Lessons on Achieving Peace in Everyday Life

Kim, Charles H.C.

Religion & Spirituality

Part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library research collection, Springfield On the night of July 5, 1918, a steamboat named Columbia, returning from a moonlight excursion, collapsed and sank in the middle of the Illinois River. Of the nearly 500 passengers on board that night, most were from the town of Pekin. Eighty-seven people lost their lives in the disaster. The rest were left to tell their stories of fortitude and survival. The worst maritime accident in the history of the Illinois River, the wreck of the Columbia is a mostly forgotten tragedy today. Ken Zurski’s gripping account follows the compelling true story from the moment the captain sensed a problem, to the horror of the cries and screams in the night, to the courageous actions of the rescue and recovery workers, and ultimately to the pursuit by law enforcement officials to find truth and justice. One town in particular found itself reeling from a sudden and devastating loss of life, an immense communal grief, and a frustrating search for answers that never truly came. PRAISE FOR THE WRECK OF THE COLUMBIA DeWayne Bartels, East Peoria Times-Courier: Ken Zurski captured the scene, the people and the events surrounding the wreck of the Columbia in a captivating and readable style. This book was hard to put down. Peoria Journal Star and PJStar.com “A stirring account of the tragedy.” “An authoritative source on the wreck.” “A solid job of stringing together narrative accounts of that fatal night.” “Plenty of fascinating personal vignettes.” “Both instructive and entertaining.” 50+ News and Views “Grabs the reader by the life jacket and sweeps them along as the horrific night unfolds.” “Played in my head almost as if I were witnessing the events and hearing the conversations.” “Spot on…historical perfection.” “A literary buffet…Fascinating tidbits of facts and information.” “A hit!” East Peoria-Times Observer “A captivating and readable style. This book was hard to put down.” “A broad-ranging and probing look at the disaster, vividly bringing it back to life.” “A great read!”

The Wreck of the Columbia: A Broken Boat, a Town’s Sorrow & the End of the Steamboat Era on the Illinois River

Zurski, Ken

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Books by Amika Press

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Amika Press publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Whale Song

America's Fool

The Off Season: National League 1953/54

Whale Song

Forest High: Short Stories (The Forest High Stories)

America's Fool: Las Vegas & The End of the World

Campaign!: The 1983 Election that Rocked Chicago

Cycle

Peace Breathing: Lessons on Achieving Peace in Everyday Life

The Wreck of the Columbia: A Broken Boat, a Town’s Sorrow & the End of the Steamboat Era on the Illinois River