A little dog finds himself alone in the vastness of Manhattan after his owner suffers an accident on the street. His two-year journey takes him to familiar neighborhoods and famous landmarks but also into New York City’s more cheerless, sinister underside. He grows streetwise as every safe haven succumbs to relentless peril. Along the way, he encounters other dogs, mostly larger breeds like pit bulls, some trained fighters, others gentle and caring whose family he joins. A resilient, tough little dog who feels love and hurt simply, as dogs do, he perseveres in the hope that one day he will get back home.

“This is the story of my life in Peru as I moved into the new Latin American Church and the new social order emerging in most of Latin America at the time. It is like the stories of many people my age who have had to grow and stretch themselves into a new era, some with more success than others, but all carrying the wounds of change and the conflicts that change brings in its wake. I hope that this account of my life in Peru will help you to consider your own life’s journey to be a gift from God, one that you try to carry forward through joys and struggles the best you can.” – GRACIAS PERU, Chapter 1

Garu is not as big, as strong, or as fast as his siblings. As the nest grows too small for the three of them, he falls from their mountain perch into a river below. Alone in the wild, Garu must learn to survive and hunt, but he can never truly be a golden eagle until he learns to fly. Later, he musters the strength and courage he gained from his experiences in the wilderness to claim it as his kingdom. The vultures and ravens, however, are not his only problem.

A little dog finds himself alone in the vastness of Manhattan after his owner suffers an accident on the street. His two-year journey takes him to familiar neighborhoods and famous landmarks but also into New York City’s more cheerless, sinister underside. He grows streetwise as every safe haven succumbs to relentless peril. Along the way, he encounters other dogs, mostly larger breeds like pit bulls, some trained fighters, others gentle and caring whose family he joins. A resilient, tough little dog who feels love and hurt simply, as dogs do, he perseveres in the hope that one day he will get back home.

Tobi is a little dog living happily in New York City until his owner, Ted, leaves him on his family’s Vermont farm in a town bordering a beautiful lake where dogs roam free. As Tobi waits and pines by the roadway, he has no way of knowing whether Ted will return. Drawn into the vibrant life of the farm, how well can he adjust to the family’s idea of a dog’s role and place? While the family struggles with a devastating tragedy, he follows the farm dog Rex into mysteries of the night and ends up lost and alone. On a long odyssey through the back country and around the lake, trailing wondrous animals at his peril, Tobi encounters unforgettable people. This is a story of a dog and a family, enduring, forgiving, loving, during an idyllic time in the history of a town.

Tom Shea was ordained a Catholic priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross (C.S.C.) in 1967, and volunteered to assist the Church in Peru where there was a shortage of priests. In the letter and spirit of Vatican II, he endeavored to empower the laity to be a thriving Church in the absence of priests. Associated with a founder of Liberation Theology, which holds that the Church not only has an obligation to charity, but also the duty to work socially and politically to raise the poor out of their poverty, he lived among the poor to whom he was devoted. Essentially a teacher and religious organizer, he often found himself in conflict.

James Callahan was a thirty-one-year-old Catholic priest when he met Claire Lyons, who was at that time a Sister of the Holy Cross. Although each had survived a difficult childhood, having both grown up in alcoholic homes, they recognized in each other a shared commitment to love and service.

Their friendship and marriage took them on a journey of faith spanning more than five decades, during which they drew closer to each other, discovering new facets of the mystery of love. 

Transformed by Love is the story of two individuals who grappled with questions many people face in life: How to live according to one’s conscience? How to serve to the best of one’s abilities? How to live one’s calling through the different chapters of a lifetime? And how to love another person, and allow oneself to be loved in such a way that one’s very being is transformed by that love? 

“. . .This remembrance is not only a beautiful love story, but also a spiritual memoir exploring how a couple’s faith—both collectively and individually—evolved alongside their relationship. Callahan’s spiritual formation in the priesthood remains ever-present throughout the book’s narrative, which is peppered throughout with religious commentary, prayers, and relevant Bible verses that are cited in the ample endnotes. At just under 200 pages in total, this is an accessible book; its brevity, however, should not be confused with shallowness, as it bravely tackles questions related to childhood trauma, abuse, spirituality, love, and the meaning of life head-on. A touching love letter from a grieving husband that stresses the transformational power of love.” — Kirkus Reviews

Known as “Little Bohemia” since 1916, New York City’s West Village has long been a haven for intellectuals, writers, artists, and activists. Here the 19th-century homes lining the narrow cobblestone streets were broken up into apartments to house the newcomers. Gathering places like jazz clubs, piano bars, coffee shops, bookstores, and theaters hummed with a sense of freedom from a more rigid society outside the neighborhood’s borders. This would be the home of the groundbreaking Westbeth Artists Housing and of the Stonewall riots that gave birth to the gay rights movement.

However, by the beginning of the 21st century, the area began to witness vast changes. Desirable brownstones were transformed back into single family homes, and streets once filled with antique stores and curiosity shops were becoming emblazoned with the names of top fashion designers. Michael D. Minichiello’s tantalizing book captures this profound shift through ninety interviews with community activists, business owners, journalists, writers, and artists of all media. As they share their stories, we get a glimpse of both the reality and the myths that made this counterculture neighborhood the setting for both film (My Sister Eileen, Next Stop Greenwich Village) and television (Sex and the City, Friends).

Through the words of those who know it best—including Calvin Trillin, Susan Brownmiller, Charles Busch, David Del Tredici and Frederic Block—West Village Originals paints an enlivening portrait of this Oz-like neighborhood where the prevailing sentiment of its denizens is that there is no place like the West Village. 

“Minichiello compiles a celebratory collection of ninety short interviews, originally published in the neighborhood paper West View News between 2008 and 2020, conducted with the lively personalities of New York City’s bohemian West Village, which has ‘nurtured generations of artists and activists.’ People featured, many of whom have been part of the community for decades, range from internationally known figures like Calvin Trillin and Mimi Sheraton to more local influencers like Ralph Lee, founder of the storied Village Halloween Parade. These profiles evoke deep feeling—including nostalgia—for a connected and vibrant community equal parts cozy and wild.”
—BookLife Reviews Editor’s Pick in Publishers Weekly

Garu is not as big, as strong, or as fast as his siblings. As the nest grows too small for the three of them, he falls from their mountain perch into a river below. Alone in the wild, Garu must learn to survive and hunt, but he can never truly be a golden eagle until he learns to fly. Later, he musters the strength and courage he gained from his experiences in the wilderness to claim it as his kingdom. The vultures and ravens, however, are not his only problem.