Books with author William Wharton

The Ancient Meditation Technique that Brings Real Peace of MindVipassand-bhavand, "the development of insight," embodies the essence of the teaching of the Buddha. As taught by S. N. Goenka, this path to self-awareness is extraordinary in its simplicity, its lack of dogma and, above all, its results. The Vipassana technique can be successfully applied by anyone.Based on the lectures and writings of S. N. Goenka--and prepared under his direct guidance--The Art of Living shows how this technique can be used to solve problems, develop unused potential, and lead a peaceful, productive life. It includes stories by S. N. Goenka, as well as answers to students' questions, that convey a vivid sense of his teaching.S. N. Goenka's Vipassana courses have attracted thousands of people of every background. Unique among teachers of meditation, Goenka is a retired industrialist and former leader of the Indian Community in Burma. Although a layman, his teaching has won the approval of senior Buddhist monks in Burma, India, and Sri Lanka, a number of whom have taken courses under his guidance. Despite his magnetism, he has no wish to be a "guru" --instead he teaches self-responsibility. This is the first systematic study of his teachings to appear in English.

The title brings to mind a luxury vessel on the most glamorous river in the world, but readers expecting to learn about the high life in France will be in for a surprise. In this charming memoir, painter and novelist Wharton (Birdy) instead gives us literally the nuts and bolts of building a houseboat, along with generous dollops of humor and local color. As a struggling artist in Paris with his schoolteacher wife and four children, Wharton decided to build his own boat after visiting that of an acquaintance in the mid-1970s. He recounts the family's adventures in making their dream come true. They gave up their Paris flat and moved onto the boat, which docked 12 miles downriver from Paris at Le Port Marly. There they spent the next 25 years adding the finishing touches. The most poignant moment comes at the wedding of oldest child, Kate, aboard ship. The author reminds us that she, her husband and their two children were to perish in 1988 in an Oregon fire, a tragedy he recounted in Ever After. Some readers might have preferred learning more about life aboard the boat than about the details of building it, but this work will satisfy Wharton devotees and Francophiles alike. (Jun.)

A full-length study of the teaching of S. N. Goenka, prepared under his guidance and with his approval. Useful for meditators and non-meditators alike. This was the first book to appear in English that accurately describes the practice of Vipassana at length for the general reader. It includes stories by Goenkaji as well as answers to students’ questions that convey a vivid sense of his teaching.

A charming memoir from one of America’s best-loved novelists, William Wharton, author of war-time classic ‘Birdy’.Before even penning his first novel, William Wharton had left his home in Los Angeles to live with his family in Paris. On a romantic whim, he makes an offer for houseboat that is, in reality, barely more than a broken wooden hulk. To his surprise, the bid is accepted. Thus begins the story of his family’s work to return the boat to its former glory and build a home for themselves from scratch.

When young Chip Woodward sees his sister’s small sailboat nearly run over a mermaid, he can hardly believe his eyes! Who will believe he has seen a mermaid—in the lake? This mystery baffles Chip, his older sister Lynna, and their friend Jock Avery from the beginning. What they learn about the mermaid’s presence in their lake as the mystery unfolds turns out to be a fun, educational adventure for readers. In their second summer adventure mystery for children, mother and son writing team Laura and Will Wharton tempt and tease readers with page-turning cliff hangers and clues that will keep readers engaged until the end. As in the first book, there is a kid-friendly project, an interview with a real mermaid, and delicious and fun recipes from the characters’ tables.

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Cuong was born during the Vietnamese war and was transported in a cardboard box, by soldiers, to Australia where he was adopted.Other children objected to his exotic appearance, so different from that of his curly-haired, blue-eyed family, but his adopted family always reassured him and his brother stuck up for him against bullies.Through Cuong's eyes, children can learn about the pain of being different and the joy of being loved, by people who adopt, adore and stand up for him.Beautifully illustrated, this is a lesson to children about ‘difference' and what is really important.

Useless information—we can't get enough of it. Everywhere you look these days, there is a new book of trivia, a new web page, a new column in the newspaper, all containing a wealth of fascinatingly useless tidbits. Finding the answers to questions you'd never thought to ask, reading an off-the-wall statistic, or browsing through lists of zany facts is always a refreshing and amusing distraction from the tawdry details of everyday life. But this is no ordinary list of random facts. Unlike other books of useless information, it is organized alphabetically and full of cross references so that all those hilarious entries can be enjoyed and shared with other like-minded trivia fanatics. This is a treasure chest of a book for anyone whose curiosity extends beyond the worthy and dull to the eccentric and amusing!

Cuong was born during the Vietnamese war and was transported in a cardboard box, by soldiers, to Australia where he was adopted. Other children objected to his exotic appearance, so different from that of his curly-haired, blue-eyed family, but his adopted family always reassured him and his brother stuck up for him against bullies. Through Cuong's eyes, children can learn about the pain of being different and the joy of being loved, by people who adopt, adore and stand up for him. Beautifully illustrated, this is a lesson to children about 'difference' and what is really important.