Maryland

Lois, a young girl, is anxious to meet her lover but makes an unexpected stop at her brother Keith's house, who is studying to become a Catholic priest.After not seeing him for many years, the encounter opens Lois’ mind to things that she has not thought about before.When she tells Keith she isn't a devout Catholic anymore, Lois participates in a benediction in the chapel given by her brother. She experiences emotions she hasn't felt before and collapses into his arms.With themes of sibling relationships, family, and Catholicism, 'Benediction' offers insight into theology, inner life, and sympathy.'Benediction' will delight fans of J. D. Salinger and Ernest Hemingway.F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) is one of the greatest American novelists of the 20th century and the author of the classics ‘Tender is the Night’ and ‘The Great Gatsby’, with the latter having been made into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan.Skillfully capturing the prosperity of post-World War One America, his writing helped illustrate the 1920s Jazz Age that he and his wife Zelda Fitzgerald were at the centre of.

The second of Douglass’ three autobiographies, ‘My Bondage and My Freedom’ details his transition from youth to adulthood, while under the bonds of slavery.Even when he manages to escape, he discovers that his struggles to be treated and seen as an equal aren’t over, even when he reaches the apparently-libertarian Northern states.Unflinching in his recollections of brutality and psychological torment, Douglass paints a picture composed of sadness, anger, and compassion.A stunning and important work. 'My Bondage and My Freedom' should be read by anyone and everyone.Frederick Douglass (1818-1995) was an American abolitionist and author. Born into slavery in Maryland, he was of African, European, and Native American descent. He was separated from his mother at a young age and lived with his grandmother until he was moved to another plantation.Frederick was taught his alphabet by the wife of one of his owners, a knowledge he passed on to other slaves. In 1838, he successfully escaped slavery by jumping on a north-bound train. After less than 24 hours, he was in New York and free.The same year, he married the woman that had inspired his run for freedom and started working actively as a social reformer, orator, statesman, and women’s rights defender.He remains most known today for his 1845 autobiography "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave."