Kirjahaku

Millions of years ago, a meteorite fell to earth and a beautiful blue stone shattered from it. One hundred thousand years ago, a girl named Tall One found the crystal on the African plain---and it formed her destiny, as well as the destiny of generations to come. From ancient Israel to imperial Rome, medieval England, fifteenth-century Germany, the eighteenth-century Caribbean, and the nineteenth-century American West, the destiny of the stone and the history of the world unfold. Each story is full of the betrayals and obsessions of the human heart, and the quests of the human spirit. In "The Blessing Stone," Barbara Wood has both told the intimate details of her characters' lives and created a sense of the epic sweep of human history.

Seventeen-year-old Hoshi'tiwa had a simple life: The daughter of a humble corn grower, she planned to marry a storyteller's apprentice. But her world is turned upside down when she is captured by the powerful and violent ruler of an infamous city with legends of untold wealth and unspeakable acts of violence to its name. Hoshi'tiwa is suddenly thrown into the court of the Dark Lord, and as she struggles for power, she begins an illicit affair with the one man who has the ability to destroy her. Bestselling author Barbara Wood has crafted a sweeping saga of one woman's struggle to survive within the dangerous and exotic world of the Toltec court. Set against the backdrop of Chaco Canyon and the mysterious Anasazi people, Daughter of the Sun is an unforgettable novel of power, seduction, murder, and betrayal.

The Bestselling Author of The Blessing Stone and Daughter of the Sun She came to them from the sea, and to the sea they returned her. . . . A story of sacrifice and survival in the New World. Tonina lives an idyllic life on a small island in the Caribbean hundreds of years before Europeans discovered it. But she has always been an outsider among her people. Unlike them, Tonina is tall and lean and light skinned, and her origins remain a mystery. Her adoptive parents had found her floating in a basket in the sea--a sacrifice? A shipwreck? No one knows. When Tonina turns nineteen, her parents know she must return to the sea so that the gods don't become angry with the village for keeping something that is not theirs. Under the guise of finding a medicinal plant, they send Tonina to the mainland, a terrifying place she can't even imagine. They know, however, that they will never see her again. And here is where her adventure begins. It is a tale of survival and sacrifice, of luck, magic, intrigue, and danger, romance and betrayal, an epic filled with ancient lore, tales of bearded white men who sailed to this shore in giant ships, and discoveries of medicinal miracles in faraway places. But most of all, it's the story of one woman's quest to discover where--and to whom--she really belongs. This sweeping story of the undiscovered world before the time of Columbus is Barbara Wood at her very best.

Heritage, Authority and Power - Understanding Theory Through Practice examines who holds power and authority in heritage, the connection with specialist knowledge and what the shifting nature of these attributes means for concepts of authenticity.Drawing on interviews with practitioners working across the heritage sector, Wood explores why in some organisations staff feel disempowered, but in others they thrive. In exploring the worked experience of practitioners, a new model emerges for understanding the sector that recognises the differences between the activity of heritage and the work of professional practice. The model demonstrates that the sector is unknowingly operating with two different purposes, The activity of heritage, generated by and from, the collections of the past, is inventive, creative and entertaining, but operates for contemporary need and interest. The work of professional practice, meanwhile, although itself creative and supporting and enabling the work of heritage, is fundamentally concerned with long-term collection development, research and conservation. In recognising and embracing these differences, the function of specialist practice in relation to curatorship can be appreciated, but so too can the contribution of supporting specialisms, such as education, outreach, community engagement and design. The model presented within the book subsequently offers a more efficient and effective, forward-looking way to think about funding, organising and managing these two areas separately – but also in active partnership.Heritage, Authority and Power is situated in the space between academia and practice and is useful for students, practitioners and for anyone interested, managing or working in heritage. It will be particularly relevant to academics and students engaged in the study of heritage, museums, tourism and visitor experience, and public history.

A riveting, historical tale set in first-century Rome, The Divining chronicles one young woman's spiritual quest to discover her destiny through the powerful gift of second sight--and save entire future generations. Ancient Rome: 54 C.E. Nineteen-year-old Ulrika is plagued with strange visions and dreams. In order to discover the truth behind her past and her unusual powers, Ulrika embarks on a dangerous journey to her father's homeland, Germania. There, she discovers her calling, a rare gift known as the Divining. Sent on a quest to find her destiny, she travels far and wide, from ancient Germania to the vast and exotic countries of Syria, Babylon, and Persia. Along the way she meets wise spiritual guides--men, women, and spirits alike--who teach her to harness her ability to heal and protect others. Ulrika's journey also brings her close to the handsome trader Sebastianus Gallus, who must depart for his own quest to the Far East to gain riches for the powerful emperor Nero. But can Ulrika reunite with the man she loves, fulfill her profound destiny, and usher in a new era in Rome under the threatening rule of Nero? A powerful, spiritual story of romance, betrayal, faith, and courage, The Divining stunningly brings to life one young woman's daring role in shaping the entire ancient empire of Rome.

A magnificent coming-of-age saga about two sisters from an aristocratic Egyptian family who rebel against tradition. Inside a beautiful mansion on Virgins of Paradise Street in post-World War II Cairo, Jasmine and Camelia Rasheed grow to womanhood under the watchful eyes of their grandmother and the other women of the prominent Rasheed family. Despite the glamour and elegance of the city, women still wear the veil and live in harems. But as Egypt begins to change, so do Jasmine and Camelia. Rebelling against a society in which the suppression of women is assumed, Jasmine and Camelia embark on turbulent personal and professional voyages of discovery. Cast out of the family, Jasmine travels to America to become a doctor while Camelia sets out to become one of the foremost beledi dancers in the Middle East. Sensuous, spicy, and romantic, Virgins of Paradise is a spellbinding novel set in an exotic and erotic culture. Brilliantly portraying two sisters' search for identity amidst historic change, Wood also conveys a portrait of an ancient nation merging into the modern era while mired in superstition, magic, and mythology.

An exciting thriller teeming with adventure and suspense about two sisters caught in a deadly international game. It's been four years since Lydia Harris last spoke to her elder sister, Adele. When Adele telephones from Rome and interrupts Lydia's work as a nurse at the Santa Monica Emergency Hospital, she's more than a little surprised—and curious. Adele explains that she sent a parcel to Lydia, and after Lydia receives it, she must come to Rome at once. Disturbed by her sister's cryptic message, Lydia is further puzzled when the parcel arrives containing a beautiful Egyptian gaming piece in the form of a jackal. When Lydia's apartment is suddenly burglarized, she's astonished that the only thing stolen is the wrapping paper in which the jackal was mailed. Deeply concerned about her sister's fate, Lydia determines to track her down, flying first to Rome and then to Cairo. But the deeper she becomes involved in her search, the further she leaves behind the comfortable world of her hospital and the undeclared love of a handsome doctor. Drawn into a lethal battle of wits, Lydia confronts murder, mysterious strangers, and death threats. But in a final confrontation in the Valley of the Kings, Lydia just might face her worst nightmare.

NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK A riveting, historical tale set in first-century Rome, The Divining chronicles one young woman's spiritual quest to discover her destiny through the powerful gift of second sight--and save entire future generations. Ancient Rome: 54 C.E. Nineteen-year-old Ulrika is plagued with strange visions and dreams. In order to discover the truth behind her past and her unusual powers, Ulrika embarks on a dangerous journey to her father's homeland, Germania. There, she discovers her calling, a rare gift known as the Divining. Sent on a quest to find her destiny, she travels far and wide, from ancient Germania to the vast and exotic countries of Syria, Babylon, and Persia. Along the way she meets wise spiritual guides--men, women, and spirits alike--who teach her to harness her ability to heal and protect others. Ulrika's journey also brings her close to the handsome trader Sebastianus Gallus, who must depart for his own quest to the Far East to gain riches for the powerful emperor Nero. But can Ulrika reunite with the man she loves, fulfill her profound destiny, and usher in a new era in Rome under the threatening rule of Nero? A powerful, spiritual story of romance, betrayal, faith, and courage, The Divining stunningly brings to life one young woman's daring role in shaping the entire ancient empire of Rome.

Ugarit, Syria, 1450 B.C.E. Eighteen-year-old Leah, the eldest daughter of a wealthy winemaker, is past the traditional age of betrothal. Vowed to wed the wealthy but cruel shipbuilder Jotham, Leah declines his offer of marriage after discovering that he and his family suffer from "the falling sickness." Enraged by her refusal and his ruined reputation, he blackmails Leah's father, a punishment forgiven only by offering Leah's hand in marriage. With no more options for another suitor and no male heir for her family, Leah must seek out the cure for Jotham's sickness or her family will face permanent ruin. During her quest Leah begins to burn with desire for Daveed, the handsome household scribe whose culture forbids their union. Daveed has been called by the gods to restore the Brotherhood, an elite fraternity of guardians at the great Library of Ugarit, rumored to contain the secret symbol of immortality within its ancient archives. If his plan succeeds, it may also save Leah's family from disaster. But even Daveed and Leah cannot fathom the extent of Jotham's sinister schemes to make Leah his bride once and for all. With rich historical detail, The Serpent and the Staff is a sweeping tale of love, betrayal, and how one family's faith can overcome the obstacles that life has in store for them.

"I was born for adventure. I flout convention. I am a New Woman on a holy purpose." Newlywed Emily Stone and her husband, Isaac, are young missionaries who have traveled from New England to Honolulu to share the Gospel with the Hawaiian natives. Gentle, adventurous, well-bred, and beautiful, Emily soon finds herself struggling with intense homesickness but remains determined to share her faith . . . and ignore her growing feelings for handsome Captain MacKenzie Farrow. Just as she begins to bond with the influential High Chiefess Pua and her daughter, Mahina, unexpected tragedy threatens to force her off the island. In a state of confusion, Emily makes a decision that could destroy everything she knows and loves--including her own sanity.Three decades later, Sister Theresa comes to the islands as a missionary nurse and becomes acquainted with Captain Farrow's charming son, a powerful man who is instrumental in Hawaii's alliance with America. Theresa discovers that a dark curse is plaguing his family and the island's inhabitants, a curse that only Emily and Mahina can help her reverse.With richly imagined characters and spellbinding scenery in the tradition of James A. Michener's Hawaii, Rainbows on the Moon is a masterful depiction of the beauty of human emotion.