John Shea

The Arena Chapel in Padua was completed in 1303; Giotto, then considered the preeminent painter in Italy, was commissioned to paint it in 1306. The resulting fresco cycle, detailing the history, birth, life, and death of Christ, ranks among the greatest artworks ever created. John Ruskin helped redefine art criticism in the nineteenth century through his attention to detail, his playful and engaging prose, and the conviction with which he discussed...

Christmas is unavoidable. But if it is going to happen for us, we need to take time. We need to slow down and do something out of the ordinary, something that has to do with the spiritual meaning of the feast and the season. Reading the Christmas poems of Seeing Haloes is one way of doing this. John Shea hopes that each poem strikes a chord and brings us into memories we may have forgotten and present experiences we may have overlooked. When this...

Eleanor Roosevelt wasn't content to be a seldom-seen, never-heard First Lady. Instead, she worked tirelessly for the many causes dear to her heart, including the rights of African Americans, women, and the poor. After Franklin D. Roosevelt's death, she traveled the world promoting peace in the aftermath of World War II. Roosevelt was so beloved she became known as the "First Lady of the World." This extraordinary woman's life and work is presented...

Richly illustrated guide to the design, construction, painting, and decoration of a host of distinctive pieces - candle stands to four-posters. Includes designs for 24 popular hex signs and measured drawings for building 50 representative pieces: chairs, tables, desks, and many more. 250 illustrations. Bibliography.

Self-injury and cutting refers to harming one's own body on purpose, a troubling problem that tends to begin in the teen or early adult years. Also known by several other terms, including "self-harm" and "self-mutilation," the behavior is often used as an outlet to get temporary relief from tormenting emotions. Written by a medical doctor, this book offers honest information about self-injury, who it tends to affect, and possible reasons people self-injure....

It's not hard to think of gross attributes of the human body. Runny noses, bad breath, and stinky feet are just some of the yucky and unavoidable parts of being human. However, the science behind the gross ways in which the body functions is pretty cool. Scabs, blisters, and mucus are actually ways for our bodies to heal and stay healthy. Readers will love learning about the body through the gross, engaging, and informational facts presented in accessible...

Teens' enthusiasm for tanning can result in excessive sun exposure and the use of indoor tanning facilities. These activities put them at risk for skin cancer, including the deadliest form, melanoma. In fact, according to Johns Hopkins Children's Center, skin cancer is becoming increasingly common among teens and young adults. Readers will come to understand the various forms of skin cancer, including how they develop and how they can be detected...

Your respiratory system is working with each breath in and out. But it's more complex than just breathing. The information inside this book covers the structure and function of the respiratory system, as well as the importance of maintaining healthy lungs. The air that enters our lungs when we breathe in contains oxygen, which our bodies need to help turn food into energy. When we breathe out, carbon dioxide is removed from the body. Colorful photographs...

The Story of an America that no longer exists.What was it like to live in America 90 years ago? Have you ever needed to use an outhouse at two in the morning? Bathed in a corrugated metal tub with water heated on a wood-burning stove? Read at night by kerosine lamp? Fell to your knees in the early morning and prayed that your father might find job that day? Has your mother darned socks and made clothes for you from flour sacks? Have...

When the Kremlin develops a new weapon with the potential of reshaping Europe, MI6 officer Alex Hawke investigates a series of assassinations to prevent a full-scale world war.