In this second book of his popular lexical trilogy, Frederick Buechner profiles more than 125 of the Bible's most holy and profane people -- and one whale. In his lively and witty prose, Buechner brings to life such moments from scripture as: Adam's pangs of regret for a remembered Eden Delilah's last glimpse of Samson as they dragged him away Lazarus's first impressions upon rising from the dead To read Peculiar Treasures is to realize that many of these legendary figures are not who we thought they were. But they are -- in their human dreams,ambitions, and imperfections -- very much like us.

Katie Weldon catches more than just the bouquet at the wedding of her best friend, Christy Miller. She also snags a job offer that launches her into an adventure she never imagined. Katie eagerly accepts the job as resident assistant at Rancho Corona University only to find herself in a community of conflict. She thought this was where God wanted her, but how can God use her—love her—when everything is falling apart? Especially with her boyfriend, Rick.Katie turns to the women in her life for solace. In the safety of their love and encouragement she finally allows herself to spill her heart about her relationship with Rick. But even their advice can’t postpone the decision Katie must face, a decision that will define who she is and the woman she’s becoming. The first book in the Katie Weldon Series, Peculiar Treasures follows Katie as she struggles to believe that God can love her, faults and all.

I was determined to protect this baby, and I was angry at everyone that wanted to harm it. I didn't want it and prayed for a miscarriage, but I wasn't going to kill it. However, the first time I felt the baby move, I loved the child within me. My prayer changed simply to, 'O God, help us.' When Tamara Lee becomes pregnant after being raped by her ex-boyfriend, she feels abandoned and lost. Some people encourage her to have an abortion, and others refuse to believe it was rape. In the face of judgment and heartbreak, Tamara becomes angry and rebellious. She quickly learns that this attitude will not help her handle the pressures of life. Only by turning to God can she find the grace, mercy, and forgiveness that she longs to receive. Throughout Tamara's life she meets trial after trial with faith in God's guidance. As she searches for a lifelong romantic relationship and a strong church community, she learns that only by listening for God's voice can she hope to make the right decisions. Like a diamond in the rough, her life is a perfect example of how God creates Peculiar Treasures out of difficult lives.

Tanya is no ordinary girl. She can see fairies. But not the fairies we imagine. Evil fairies who cast spells on her, rousing her from her sleep and propelling her out of bed. At wit's end with her daughter's inexplicable behavior, Tanya's mother sends her away to live with her grandmother at Elvesden Manor, a secluded countryside mansion on the outskirts of a peculiar Essex town. There is plenty to explore, as long as Tanya stays away from Hangman's Wood- a vast stretch of forest, full of catacombs and notorious for people losing their lives. Fifty years ago a girl vanished in the woods, a girl Tanya's grandmother will not speak of. As Tanya learns more about this girl, she finds herself dangerously close to vanishing into the fairy realm forever. Debut author Michelle Harrison weaves an intricate mystery into a beautiful and haunting fantasy that captures a rich world of fairy lore where only the color red can offer protection.

God has provided a way for all people, not just scholars, to know that the Bible is the Word of God. John Piper has devoted his life to showing us that the glory of God is object of the soul’s happiness. Now, his burden in this book is to demonstrate that this same glory is the ground of the mind’s certainty. God’s peculiar glory shines through his Word. The Spirit of God enlightens the eyes of our hearts. And in one self-authenticating sight, our minds are sure and our hearts are satisfied. Justified certainty and solid joy meet in the peculiar glory of God.

A woman's personal conviction to begin keeping the seventh-day Sabbath in 1926 would challenge her husband to begin an intensive study to prove her wrong. That study would spawn a new religious movement under Herbert W. Armstrong. A fledgling group would form in 1934, and an audacious media operation would make the Radio Church of God (later named the Worldwide Church of God) grow by 30% per year over the next 35 years. Proclaiming a unique understanding of the Bible, traditional Christian orthodoxy would be challenged, making that church most peculiar indeed. Internal and external forces would alter Herbert Armstrong's view of his own mission, and especially after Loma's death, doctrinal and administrative turmoil would stagger the church for the rest of his life. After his death in 1986, the empire would implode, and successors would dismantle everything that the Armstrong's had built. Was it all just a fantastic, fraudulent escapade-conceived by a lucky and opportunistic salesman-or might it have been a divine Work-God's own peculiar treasure?If it did begin with God's inspiration, why and how did it all go so wrong? Is there anything left of it today that has any redeeming value? These are the questions that will be answered, with evidence to suggest that there is yet an enduring legacy of Herbert and Loma Armstrong.

The New York Public Library staff answers questions remarkable and preposterous, with illustrations by Barry Blitt. Have you’ve ever wondered if you can keep an octopus in a private home? Do you spend your time thinking about how much Napoleon’s brain weighed? If so, Peculiar Questions and Practical Answers is the book for you. The New York Public Library has been fielding questions like these ever since it was founded in 1895. Of course, some of the questions have left the librarians scratching their heads... “In what occupations may one be barefooted?” “What time does a bluebird sing?” “What does it mean when you’re being chased by an elephant?” “What kind of apple did Eve eat?” “How many neurotic people are there in the U.S.?” In Peculiar Questions and Practical Answers, the staff of the NYPL has dug through the archives to find thoughtful and often witty answers to over one hundred of the oddest, funniest, and most whimsical questions the library has received since it began record-keeping over seventy-five years ago. One of The New Yorker’s best-known and beloved illustrators, Barry Blitt, has created watercolors that bring many of the questions hilariously to life in a book that answers, among others, the question “Does anyone have a copyright on the Bible?”