Books published by publisher Pardes Publishing House, Inc.

War and Peace is generally thought to be one of the greatest novels ever written, remarkable for its dramatic breadth and unity. Its vast canvas includes 580 characters, many historical with others fictional. The story moves from family life to the headquarters of Napoleon, from the court of Alexander I of Russia to the battlefields of Austerlitz and Borodino. Tolstoy's original idea for the novel was to investigate the causes of the Decembrist revolt, to which it refers only in the last chapters, from which can be deduced that Andrei Bolkonski's son will become one of the Decembrists. The novel explores Tolstoy's theory of history, and in particular the insignificance of individuals such as Napoleon and Alexander. Somewhat surprisingly, Tolstoy did not consider War and Peace to be a novel (nor did he consider many of the great Russian fictions written at that time to be novels). This view becomes less surprising if one considers that Tolstoy was a novelist of the realist school who considered the novel to be a framework for the examination of social and political issues in nineteenth-century life.War and Peace (which is to Tolstoy really an epic in prose) therefore did not qualify. Tolstoy thought that Anna Karenina was his first true novel.Includes a Biography of the Author

Butterball is a curious fun-loving poodle who doesn’t like being left home alone. She is looking for fun and digs her way out under a fence, but Butterball wanders too far. How will Butterball find her way home? Join Butterball on her adventure and meet Binky the bunny, JillaRoo the kangaroo and Barny the owl. This easy-to-read picture book features cute illustrations, supports the development of literacy and numeracy skills, and includes some fun activity pages.

NOTE: OCR errors in previous edition have been corrected in this recently (6/27/2018) formatted edition. As Americans were approaching the twentieth anniversary of the end of what is commonly called the American Civil War, The Weekly News and Courier, a Charleston, South Carolina, newspaper issued an invitation to women of the former Confederate States of America to write articles recollecting their foremost wartime experiences. A host of women responded and their personal stories were printed in a series of articles. The vignettes describing life in a war-torn Confederacy cover just about every aspect of life on the home-front. Naturally there are accounts of privations, sacrifices, fear, and grief. There are stories of maltreatment at the hands of an invading army, but these women are surprisingly objective in their essays, giving credit, when due, to those individual “Yankees” from whom they received unexpected kindness. These accounts are fascinating to those who enjoy reading merely as a leisure activity, for the historian in need of primary resource material, and for the “Civil War Buff.” The descriptions of the clothing of the time will certainly aid the civilian re-enactor in creating a better period impression. While many of the incidences are sad, some categorically pitiable and heart rendering, some are humorous; illustrating that during the worst of times a merry heart is the best medicine. The story of the fat old lady refugeeing from a battle in Georgia will evoke a chuckle and perhaps remind the reader of the “Aunt Pittypat” character in Margaret Mitchell’s inimitable novel, "Gone With the Wind." The difference is that while “Aunt Pittypat” was a fictional character, the “fat old lady gossip refugee” was a real person. As a final point, the narratives inspire the reader to value the attribute of mercy and compassion for others, whether in war time or in peace. NOTE: The editor has not changed character dialect used by some of these women when telling a particular story. Young children’s utterances are often recorded as they spoke, “Dod bess dear papa and bing him home.” (God bless dear papa and bring him home.) The 19th century punctuation has not been changed, nor has the British spelling used by Southerners of this era. Some of the more difficult Negro dialect of this era has been translated, but not changed. They are printed precisely as they appeared in The Weekly News And Courier, and have not been corrected. But, even in their present shape, they serve to portray the Confederate War as it was never portrayed before—as it was seen and felt by the women at home.

Frances Harman has spent a lifetime living out of suitcases, a staunch supporter of her Papa as he builds an empire as a hotelier. A quiet soul, happiest when out of sight, left alone to pursue her own interests and happiness, she has never felt the lack of companions or excitement in her life. Yet, since his remarriage, she has been forced into a new world, one of parties and balls, afternoon promenades and has found herself overshadowed by her beautiful stepsister Maria in every way. But in a moment of uncharacteristic bravado she responds to a matrimonial advertisement in the newspaper, the life of a debutante is not for her, but why should she not search out a life that might suit her better?Dr Marlon Carter has not been in Faith Creek long, and for a time rather thought himself in love with his partner's delightful bride, Susanna. But, his desire for his own wife and family has begun to play upon his mind. A town doctor should have a wife after all. But can he reconcile the actions and troubles of his past and allow himself to enjoy the love and affection that could be his for the taking?

Isabelle Landry is beautiful, wealthy and courted within the highest echelons of Massachusetts' society. But every man her Mama thinks a suitable match, she finds dull and often repulsive. She longs for a simpler life, one where her worth has nothing to do with her annual income, or her vast inheritance. A new friend gives her the confidence to follow her own path, and she answers an advertisement, praying it might change her life forever. John Kimball has become a lone wolf. Strong and quiet, he drives the Stage coach, delivers the mail and keeps himself to himself. But even a lone wolf needs a mate. A chance encounter makes him realise that his life isn't as good as he has led himself to believe, and putting past heartache behind him he decides to take on the challenge of becoming the new Sheriff of Faith Creek. As he faces his first challenges in keeping the town free from a gang of vicious bandits he also hopes to find love.

The Phoenix and the Carpet is a fantasy novel for children, written in 1904 by E. Nesbit. It is the second in a trilogy of novels that began with Five Children and It (1902), and follows the adventures of the same five protagonists – Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and the Lamb. Their mother buys the children a new carpet to replace the one from the nursery that was destroyed in an accidental fire. The children find an egg in the carpet which hatches into a talking Phoenix. The Phoenix explains that the carpet is a magical one that will grant them three wishes per day. The five children go on many adventures which eventually wears out their magical carpet. The adventures of the children are continued and conclude in the third book of the trilogy, The Story of the Amulet (1906).This middle volume of the trilogy that began with Five Children and It and concludes with The Story of the Amulet deviates somewhat from the other two because the Psammead gets only a brief mention, and because in this volume the children live with both of their parents and their younger brother—the Lamb—in their home in London. Consequently, there is less loneliness and sense of loss in this volume than in the other two. In both of the other volumes, circumstances have forced the children to spend a protracted period away from their familiar London home and their father; in Amulet, their mother and the Lamb are absent as well.A continuing theme throughout The Phoenix and the Carpet is, appropriately enough, the ancient element of fire. The story begins shortly before November 5, celebrated in England as Guy Fawkes Night. Traditionally, children light bonfires and set off fireworks on this night. The four children have accumulated a small hoard of fireworks but are too impatient to wait until November 5 to light them, so they set off a few samples in the nursery. This results in a fire that destroys the carpet.Their parents purchase a second-hand carpet which, upon arrival, is found to contain an egg that emits a weird phosphorescent glow. The children accidentally knock this egg into the fire: it hatches, revealing a golden Phoenix who speaks perfect English.It develops that this is a magical carpet, which can transport the children to anywhere they wish in the present time, although it is only capable of three wishes per day. Accompanied by the Phoenix, the children have exotic adventures in various climes. There is one moment of terror for the children when their youngest brother, the Lamb, crawls onto the carpet, babbles some incoherent baby talk, and vanishes. Fortunately, the Lamb only desired to be with his mother.At a few points in the novel, the children find themselves in predicaments from which the Phoenix is unable to rescue them by himself; he goes to find the Psammead and has a wish granted for the children's sake. In addition, in the end, the carpet is sent to ask the Psammead to grant the Phoenix's wish. These offstage incidents are the only contribution made by the Psammead to this story.

Harriet Kirk has spent a lifetime being overlooked. Though she adores her sister, Annalise who is beautiful and urbane, confident and accomplished in every situation, Harriet is tired of always being compared unfavorably to her. Clever and quick, practical and sensible Harriet has always felt like an ugly duckling, but it has never stopped her from wanting the happily ever after that her sister always seemed destined for. But an unusual twist in their fates has them taking their destiny into their own hands, but will it end in happiness for Harriet, or for Annalise?Brandon Willis has never wanted for anything, but he has always been determined to serve his community. He loves his work, driving the stage coach across the State, and assisting his great friend, Sheriff John Kimball, as one of the town's Deputy Sheriffs. But he is starting to notice the loneliness that marks his days. But, will he ever put himself first long enough to find a woman to love, or will his desire to help be his undoing?

Carol Milford is a liberal, free-spirited young woman, reared in the metropolis of Saint Paul, Minnesota. She marries Will Kennicott, a doctor, who is a small-town boy at heart.When they marry, Will convinces her to live in his home-town of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota (a town modeled on Sauk Centre, Minnesota, the author's birthplace). Carol is appalled at the backwardness of Gopher Prairie. But her disdain for the town's physical ugliness and smug conservatism compels her to reform it.She speaks with its members about progressive changes, joins women's clubs, distributes literature, and holds parties to liven up Gopher Prairie's inhabitants. Despite her friendly, but ineffective efforts, she is constantly derided by the leading cliques.She finds comfort and companionship outside her social class. These companions are taken from her one by one.In her unhappiness, Carol leaves her husband and moves for a time to Washington, D.C., but she eventually returns. Nevertheless, Carol does not feel defeated:"I do not admit that Main Street is as beautiful as it should be! I do not admit that dish-washing is enough to satisfy all women!"Includes a biography of the Author

So You Are a Leader? Inspiring Leadership Stories and Lessons for Kidz of all Ages is full of lively inspirational leadership stories and lessons for kids of all ages. It has short heart-warming stories each depicting in a rich, practical, and simple way leadership lessons that will enrich and inspire your kids. Stories such as "Danny Makes a Cool Escape", "Leaders Are Brave Regardless of the Obstacles", "Abie and the Beautiful Country", "Leaders Embrace the Unknown", "Mo Fights for His Brother", "Leaders Stick Up for Their People", and much more will fill your child's or children's heart with memories of great heroes and at the same time plant the invaluable seed of leadership and character building.

The Song of Hiawatha is an 1855 epic poem, in trochaic tetrameter, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, featuring an Indian hero and loosely based on legends and ethnography of the Ojibwe (Chippewa, Anishinaabeg) and other Native American people contained in Algic Researches (1839) and additional writings of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. In sentiment, scope, overall conception, and many particulars, Longfellow's poem is very much a work of American Romantic literature, not a representation of Native American oral tradition, despite Longfellow's insistence that "I can give chapter and verse for these legends. Their chief value is that they are Indian legends."Longfellow had originally planned on following Schoolcraft in calling his hero Manabozho, the name in use at the time among the Ojibwe of the south shore of Lake Superior for a figure of their folklore, a trickster-transformer. But in his journal entry for June 28, 1854, he wrote, "Work at 'Manabozho;' or, as I think I shall call it, 'Hiawatha'—that being another name for the same personage." Hiawatha was not, in fact, "another name for the same personage" (the mistaken identification was actually made by Schoolcraft then compounded by Longfellow), but a probable historical figure associated with the founding of the League of the Iroquois. Because of the poem, however, "Hiawatha" came into use as a name for everything from towns to a telephone company in the western Great Lakes region where no Iroquois resideBiography

You Cannot Chase Two Antelopes at the Same Time will teach your child(ren) the invaluable lesson of determination and focus. This heartwarming story about the courage and determination of a little boy and his sister who set out to chase two antelopes unsuccessfully, extracts the important character traits of determination and focus. The little boy and girl set out to accomplish an impossible task and try different approaches, but to no avail. They finally figured out that in life some pursuits are too delicate to focus on multiple things at the same time. The story will thrill, entertain and motivate your children.

Rose Unwin married young, and learned to regret her choice. But, she was still heartbroken when her husband died in a tragic accident. Unwilling to make the same mistakes again, she decides to take her time this time around, but how will she know if she has made the right choice? Andrew Davey finds himself at a crossroads. His employer, mentor, and friend has passed away, making his future in Faith Creek tenuous at best. But, nonetheless he agrees to help a friend to locate the heir to Mortimer Welsh's estate. Little does he know that his entire life is about to be turned upside down as old truths surface and new connections seemed doomed before they have even begun.