Tayo, a young Native American, has been a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II, and the horrors of captivity have almost eroded his will to survive. His return to the Laguna Pueblo reservation only increases his feeling of estrangement and alienation. While other returning soldiers find easy refuge in alcohol and senseless violence, Tayo searches for another kind of comfort and resolution. Tayo's quest leads him back to the Indian past and its traditions, to beliefs about witchcraft and evil, and to the ancient stories of his people. The search itself becomes a ritual, a curative ceremny that defeats the most virulent of afflictions—despair.

The long-awaited first short story-collection by the author of the cult sensation Convenience Store Woman, tales of weird love, heartfelt friendships, and the unsettling nature of human existence With Life Ceremony, the incomparable Sayaka Murata is back with her first collection of short stories ever to be translated into English. In Japan, Murata is particularly admired for her short stories, which are sometimes sweet, sometimes shocking, and always imbued with an otherworldly imagination and uncanniness. In these twelve stories, Murata mixes an unusual cocktail of humor and horror to portray both the loners and outcasts as well as turning the norms and traditions of society on their head to better question them. Whether the stories take place in modern-day Japan, the future, or an alternate reality is left to the reader’s interpretation, as the characters often seem strange in their normality in a frighteningly abnormal world. In “A First-Rate Material,” Nana and Naoki are happily engaged, but Naoki can’t stand the conventional use of deceased people’s bodies for clothing, accessories, and furniture, and a disagreement around this threatens to derail their perfect wedding day. “Lovers on the Breeze” is told from the perspective of a curtain in a child’s bedroom that jealously watches the young girl Naoko as she has her first kiss with a boy from her class and does its best to stop her. “Eating the City” explores the strange norms around food and foraging, while “Hatchling” closes the collection with an extraordinary depiction of the fractured personality of someone who tries too hard to fit in. In these strange and wonderful stories of family and friendship, sex and intimacy, belonging and individuality, Murata asks above all what it means to be a human in our world and offers answers that surprise and linger.

A helpful, inspiring planning guide for brides and grooms, officiants, and wedding consultants. This e-book edition of A Wedding Ceremony to Remember now offers even more choices to create a wedding ceremony that’s both memorable and meaningful. Choose from nine complete ceremonies, a variety of Vows, Readings, Prayers and Blessings, Wedding Traditions, and other Special Touches to design your ceremony and make it uniquely you. In addition, an Order of Service, Program Samples, Diagrams, and Rehearsal and Ceremony Worksheets assist you with all the details—and help make your decisions a piece of cake.

Say “I do” to tying the knot. “Officiant Lisa Francesca has literally written the book on how to plan the perfect ceremony.” —Martha Stewart Weddings According to a 2019 WeddingWire report based on data from more than 18,000 newlyweds, only twenty-five percent of weddings are taking place in religious institutions. More than one in three American weddings are being officiated by a friend or family member. With the officiating trend on the rise, novice officiants need a resource to guide them. In The Wedding Officiant’s Guide, interfaith minister Lisa Francesca breaks down the entire officiating process, from becoming an ordained officiant and interviewing the couple to drafting and performing a moving ceremony. Written in an engaging and friendly tone, and featuring empowering advice, suggested readings, stories and lessons learned from new officiants, and practical tips from wedding planners, this inviting handbook will help new officiants write and deliver a wedding ceremony that fulfills marriage laws, delights guests, and honors the marrying couple.

In Sacred Ceremony: How to Create Ceremonies for Healing, Transitions, and Celebrations, Steven Farmer offers ideas on how to create your own ceremonies to consecrate the critical events and passages that you experience on your life’s journey.

If you're like the many couples that have needs and desires that cannot be met by conventional ceremonies, I DO was written just for you. Whether you're celebrating an interfaith or intercultural union, a second or third marriage, a same-sex marriage, or a commitment ceremony, you can make your special day a walk down the aisle less traveled. Drawing on the author's experience designing and performing wedding celebrations, I DO is a creative, accessible guide that helps you devise a ritual that is as unique as you are. I DO explains the traditions behind the well-known elements of a wedding-the bridal veil, the exchange of rings, the cake, the vows-and then offers inspired alternatives drawn from a wide range of cultures including ancient Greece and Persia, pagan Europe, and Elizabethan England. Step-by-step instructions and planning guides are included to help you create your own personal event that incorporates the symbols and words most meaningful to you.