A new perspective on a beloved cultural icon, its place in our history, and its meaning in the American imagination This elegantly written appreciation of the Empire State Building opens up the building's richness and importance as an icon of America. The book leads us through the facts surrounding the skyscraper's conception and construction, then enters into a provocative theoretical discussion of its function as an icon, its representation in pictures, literature, and film, and the implications of its iconic status as New York's most important architectural monument to ambition and optimism. The Empire State Building literally cannot be seen in its totality, from any perspective. And paradoxically, this building of unmistakable solidity has been made invisible by familiarity and reproduction through imagery. Mark Kingwell encourages us to look beneath the strong physical presence of the building, to become aware of its evolving layers of meaning, and to see how the building lives within a unique imaginative space in the landscape of the American consciousness. He offers new ways of understanding the Empire State Building in all its complexity and surprising insights into its special role as an American icon.

In this third book in the Old and New series, author Maura Roan McKeegan recounts how all the world spoke one language--until the people of Shinar became too proud, and the Lord came down from heaven and confused their words. What can undo the chaos? And how will Pentecost help God's children understand one another again? Building the Way to Heaven helps young readers to see God's plan of salvation unfold within the stories of the Tower of Babel and Pentecost. See biblical typology--the Old Testament people, symbols, and events that foreshadow the New Testament--come to life in Building the Way to Heaven. Ages 3 and up. About the Author Maura Roan McKeegan grew up in Potomac, Maryland, and now lives in Steubenville, Ohio, with her husband Shaun and their four children. Her articles have appeared in publications such as Franciscan Way, Guideposts, Lay Witness, and My Daily Visitor. She is the author of the award-winning Old and New Series. About the Illustrator Ted Schluenderfritz is the illustrator of several books including A Life of Our Lord for Children, The Book of Angels, and Darby O'Gill and the Good People. He is a freelance graphic designer and the art director for Catholic Digest and Gilbert Magazine. He lives in Littleton, Colorado with his wife Rachel and their six children. You can view more of his work at www.5sparrows.com. About the Series What do the Old and New Testaments have in common? To answer this question, Maura Roan McKeegan presents biblical typology for children. Taking familiar stories from the Old and New Testaments and placing them side by side, children can easily understand at an early age what St. Augustine meant when he said that "the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is revealed in the New."

In this third book in the Old and New series, author Maura Roan McKeegan recounts how all the world spoke one language—until the people of Shinar became too proud, and the Lord came down from heaven and confused their words. What can undo the chaos? And how will Pentecost help God’s children understand one another again? Building the Way to Heaven helps young readers to see God’s plan of salvation unfold within the stories of the Tower of Babel and Pentecost. See biblical typology—the Old Testament people, symbols, and events that foreshadow the New Testament—come to life in Building the Way to Heaven. Ages 7 and up.

"Amazing!" - Laura Lee Bahr ("Haunt") ..".a Heaven where we bring all our baggage from our lives really struck a chord and kept me turning the pages." - Scott Von Doviak ("The Onion A.V. Club") What happens after we die? If the answer is "nothing," then what's the point of existence? If there's no "Final Judgment," then what's the point of morality? And what if the meaning of life has nothing to do with us? BUILDING HEAVEN, an existential thriller about atheism, blind faith, and one agnostic's perilous journey through the afterlife -- while, back on Earth, a scientist's plan for technological immortality threatens the fundamental core of humanity.

Millions of people worldwide dream of making a "good" living, of attaining great wealth, and having an extraordinary and fortunate life. However, they haven’t yet found a way of attaining it, and they fear that they can only do so at the expense of others—perhaps by compromising their higher spiritual values and virtuous nature. Some people who outwardly acknowledge their desire for great wealth feel inwardly guilty about acquiring it, and their illusive conflict blocks or dissipates their potential fortunes. Other people say they just want to be comfortable and secure rather than vastly fortunate. These individuals also hold themselves back from breaking through to new levels of financial freedom, and actually living their most cherished and inspiring dreams. In addition to their conflicting spiritual and material natures, some people have an additional internal struggle between their desires to give and receive. How to Make One Hell of a Profit and Still Get to Heaven was written to help you (if you happen to be like most people) dissolve these apparent conflicts. It can assist you in making your financial dreams come true while shedding light on an entirely new way of looking at, understanding, and appreciating the true nature of Earthly profits and heavenly wealth. If you read and apply the principles and methodologies that are laid out in these pages, your relationship with, and ability to master, your spiritual wealth and material finances as well as other vital areas of your life will undergo an amazing transformation.

Many of us commit to some form of spiritual reading, but we find that our book choices are sporadic and often based on a whim rather than following a purposeful plan. Designed for individual or group settings, How to Read Your Way to Heaven will guide your quest to delve deeper into a relationship with Christ by meditating on the written word while organizing your reading around the four pillars of the Catholic Faith — the Creed, the sacraments, morality, and prayer. How to Read Your Way to Heaven is not merely another book to read. It is designed to be an invaluable tool for guiding and organizing your reading to help you on your journey to become a saint. And best of all, this fully integrated do-it-yourself spiritual reading program that can be easily followed by the busiest of Catholics with the tightest of schedules. By following this plan, you’ll meditate daily on Sacred Scripture and read the entirety of the Catechism over the course of the program. You’ll be introduced to a treasure-trove of the greatest Catholic books ever written, and you’ll learn prayerful reading methods such as lectio divina as well as time-tested advice on where and when to read. Here you’ll also find a list of the favorite books by leading Catholics of our day, including Bishop James Conley, Fr. Mike Schmitz, Fr. C.J. McCloskey, Jennifer Fulwiler, Peter Kreeft, Patrick Coffin, Karl Keating, Lisa Hendey, Fr. Timothy Gallagher, Mike Aquilina, and so many more. Spiritual reading arms us for battle. We are called to be saints, and yet daily we are bombarded by a culture that drives our minds and hearts away from the supernatural life. Because what we choose to read makes a significant difference in our spiritual growth and understanding, we present this structured reading guide to help you read with a purpose.

Feeling overwhelmed and unproductive? The answer isn’t to do more. What image forms in your mind when you think of productivity? An assembly line? Spreadsheets? Business suits or workplace uniforms? In the ancient world, productivity didn't conjure images like these. Instead, it referred to crop yield and fruit bearing. This agrarian imagery helps us understand productivity through a biblical lens. Jesus taught, By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:8). Who doesn’t want to have a truly productive life—to bear much fruit? But how does this happen in the places we hold dear—the home, workplace, and in our communities? We often feel overworked and overrun, defeated and discouraged. The world says be productive so that you can get all you can out of this life. The Bible says be productive so you can gain more of the next life. In Redeeming Productivity, author Reagan Rose explores how God’s glory is the purpose for which He planted us. And he shows how productivity must be firmly rooted in the gospel. Only through our connection to Christ—the True Vine—are we empowered to produce good fruit. This book shows how we can maintain the vitality of that connection through simple, life-giving disciplines. Readers will discover manageable applications like giving God the first fruits of our days. Additionally, Reagan discusses how our perspective on suffering is transformed as we see trials as God’s pruning for greater productivity.