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the seven husbands of evelyn hugo & malibu rising | bestseller books by taylor jenkins reid | book review
the lost apothecary | bestseller book | interviewing sarah penner
Authorlink talks with Sarah Penner, author of THE LOST APOTHECARY, intriguing story of a secret apothecary shop that sells poisons to women to use against the oppressive men in their lives. Definitely a good book to read!
This is Sarah’s first published novel.
the four winds | bestseller book | interviewing kristin hannah
You might not know the name Kristin Hannah, but you probably know her books. As more of Hannah’s novels get adapted into shows and films, Weekend TODAY’s Dylan Dreyer sits down with the bestselling author of “Firefly Lane” and “The Nightingale” to find out the inspiration behind her work.
origin of the title of the book
Kristin Hannah is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, Winter Garden, Night Road, and Firefly Lane. Her new novel, THE FOUR WINDS currently sits at #1 and has received over 16,000 positive reviews. Her novel, The Nightingale, has been published in 43 languages and is currently in movie production at TriStar Pictures, which also optioned her novel, The Great Alone.
Her novel, Home Front has been optioned for film by 1492 Films (produced the Oscar-nominated The Help) with Chris Columbus attached to direct. Kristin is a former-lawyer-turned writer who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband. Her novel, Firefly Lane, became a runaway bestseller in 2009, a touchstone novel that brought women together, and The Nightingale, in 2015 was voted a best book of the year by Amazon, Buzzfeed, iTunes, Library Journal, Paste, The Wall Street Journal and The Week. Additionally, the novel won the coveted Goodreads and People’s Choice Awards.
The audiobook of The Nightingale won the Audiobook of the Year Award in the fiction category. THE FOUR WINDS: Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman’s only option, the future seems bleak.
Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows. By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open.
Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa’s tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive. In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa—like so many of her neighbours—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family.
The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation
angel by the wings | karaoke
watch the video, listen to the song, activate the subtitles (closed captions) button at the right bottom margin, do karaoke and sing it along !
*to do the ESL & ELT activity on grammar, language & vocabulary, visit: https://brainperks4u.wordpress.com/2021/10/03/angel-by-the-wings-esl-elt-activity/
Training: Try singing the song with the fluency and at the speed that they do in the video
Listen to the complete song twice.
Then divide the song into chunks (small portions or parts, as the stanzas in the lyrics) and pause it, so you can try singing that little part.
After that, try singing the full song.
This is is great training ! Give it a try !
Old soul (oh, so), your wounds they show
I know, you have never felt so low
But hold on, head up, be strong
Oh, hold on
Hold on until you hear them come
Here they come oh
Take an angel by the wings
Beg her now for anything
Beg her now for one more day
Take an angel by the wings
Time to tell her everything
Ask her for the strength to stay
Oooooooh
Oooooooh
Oooooooh
Oooooooh (repeat)
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
Look up, call to the sky, oh
Look up, and don’t ask why
Oh
Just take an angel by the wings
Beg her now for anything
Beg her now for one more day
Take an angel by the wings
Time to tell her everything
Ask her for the strength to stay
Oooooooh
Oooooooh
Oooooooh
Oooooooh (repeat)
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
You can, you can
Do anything, anything
You can, do anything
dancing on the ceiling | ESL & ELT activities
ESL & ELT activity: watch the video, listen to the song and complete the lyrics
*to correct this activity, visit: https://brainperks4u.wordpress.com/2021/09/12/dancing-on-the-ceiling-karaoke/
I say
_____________ is _________________________here
______________’s going _________that’s not _______________clear
_____________ turn on the _____________, yeah
We’re ________have a ______________
It’s starting __________________
Oh, what a ___________
When we’re _________________on the _________________
Oh, what a _________________________
When we’re ___________on the ________________
The __________is ___________and that’s _____________(and that’s good)
_____________of my ____________came by __________the __________________
The ___________startin’ a _____________the ________________
Ooh it looks ______________everybody is _______________a _______________
Woo-oh, ____________a ______________(oh, what a feeling)
When we’re _________________on the ____________________
Woo-oh, __________________a _______________
When we’re ______________on the _____________
Oh, ____________________________ a _____________(oh, _______________a ____________)
When we’re ______________ on the ___________(we’re ___________on the __________)
Woo-oh, _____________a ________________(Woo-oh, _____a _________)
When we’re _____________on the ___________(we’re _________on the __________, yeah) Woo
Come on!
Everybody ___________to lose ____________
When the ______________is _________
_________ you see _____________
_________ you see ______________ hangin’ ____________
___________get ____________
The ____________thing we _____________to do _____________
Is go ‘___________and ‘____________
And turn ____________ __________, yeah
Come on!
So come _____! (Yeah, come on)
Let’s get __________
Don’t ______________back
‘Cause ____________no use (ain’t no use)
It’s _____________ to keep your _________ on the ____________
‘Cause when we like to ________
We only want to get _______
Woo-oh, what a feeling
When we’re dancing on the ceiling
Woo-oh, what a feeling
When we’re dancing on the ceiling
Woo-oh, what a feeling (oh, what a feeling)
When we’re dancing on the ceiling (when we’re dancing on the ceiling)
Oh, what a feeling (oh, what a feeling)
Dancing (when we’re dancing on the ceiling)
Dancing
Dancing
Dancing
She’s dancing
Dancing
Dancing
Dancing
Dancing
Dancing
Dancing
Dancing on the ceiling
Woo-oh
Woo-oh
Woo-oh (dancing)
Woo-oh (dancing)
Woo-oh
Woo-oh
Oh, yeah
Good job my brothers
automatic damage | Karaoke
watch the video, listen to the song, activate the subtitles (closed captions) button at the right bottom margin, do karaoke and sing it along !
*to do the ESL & ELT activity on grammar, language & vocabulary, visit: https://brainperks4u.wordpress.com/2021/08/29/automatic-damage-esl-elt-activities-karaoke/
Training: Try singing the song with the fluency and at the speed that they do in the video 🙂
Listen to the complete song twice.
Then divide the song into chunks (small portions or parts, as the stanzas in the lyrics) and pause it, so you can try singing that little part.
After that, try singing the full song.
This is is great training ! Give it a try !
[Verse 1]
So close to me
I hold the key
Without your strength
I call your name
[Verse 2]
A love so sweet
Our edges meet
Your hand, your face
These all degrade
[Chorus]
(fighting, crying every time you call)
(I wanna be there when you kiss it all)
Another goodbye
[Verse 3]
There comes a cost
Of every touch
In love, in pain
It’s all the same
[Chorus]
(fighting, crying every time you call)
(I wanna be there when you kiss it all)
Another goodbye
(fighting, crying every time you call)
(I wanna be there when you kiss it all)
Another goodbye
[Outro]
Another goodbye
Another goodbye
don’t start now | ESL & ELT Activity
ESL & ELT activity: watch the video, listen to the song and complete the lyrics
*to correct this activity, visit: https://brainperks4u.wordpress.com/2021/08/28/dont-start-now-karaoke/
If you ___________ __________ see me
Did a full _________________, _______________
Thinking ’bout the ________________ I _______
Did the _________________change me? ________________
But look at where I ___________up
I’m all _____________already
So moved ______, it’s _______________
I’m not where you ______________me at ________, so
If you don’t ___________see me ____________with _________________
If you ______________believe that __________________could __________________me
Don’t ____________up, don’t come ____________
Don’t start ___________ about me _____________
______________________away, you know _______________
Don’t _________caring about me ________________
_____________ you the guy who ___________to
Hurt me __________ the word “________________”?
________________it took some time to _____________you
I’m ____________on the other ______________
I’m all ____________ ______________
So _____________on, it’s ___________
I’m not _____________you ______________me at _____________, __________
If you don’t ___________see me ____________with _________________
If you ______________believe that __________________could __________________me
Don’t ____________up, don’t come ____________
Don’t start ___________ about me _____________
______________________away, you know _______________
Don’t _________caring about me ________________ (’bout me now, ’bout me)
Oh, oh
Don’t ____________ out, out, out
Don’t ____________ up, up, up
Don’t _____________ now (oh)
Oh, oh
Don’t _____________ out, out
I’m not ____________ you __________ me at __________, so
If you don’t ___________see me ____________with _________________
If you ______________believe that __________________could __________________me
Don’t ____________up, don’t come ____________
Don’t start ___________ about me _____________
______________________away, you know _______________
Don’t _________caring about me ________________
Oh, oh
Don’t ___________ out, out, out
Don’t ___________ up, up, up
Walk away, walk away (so)
Oh, oh
Don’t __________ out, out, out
Don’t __________ up, up, up
Walk away, walk away, oh
About Dua Lipa:
Born and raised in London to Kosovar-Albanian parents Dua Lipa signed to Warner Records in 2015, releasing her self titled debut in 2017 which featured the hit singles, ‘Be The One’, ‘IDGAF’, ‘Hotter Than Hell’ & her first UK #1 hit ‘New Rules’.
Critical success soon followed as Dua Lipa picked up Brit Awards for ‘Best Female Solo Artist’ and ‘Best British Breakthrough Act’ as well as Grammy Awards for ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Dance Recording’ for the track ‘Electricity’ in collaboration with Silk City.
Her second internationally acclaimed studio album ‘Future Nostalgia’ was released in 2020 and included the hit singles ‘Don’t Start Now, ‘Break My Heart’, ‘Hallucinate’ and ‘Levitating’, with the remix album ‘Club Future Nostalgia’ following shortly after featuring guest appearances from ‘Blackpink’, ‘Missy Elliott’, ‘Madonna’ and ‘Gwen Stefani’.
don’t start now | Karaoke
watch the video, listen to the song, do karaoke and sing it along !
*to do the ESL & ELT activity on grammar, language & vocabulary, visit: https://brainperks4u.wordpress.com/2021/08/28/dont-start-now-esl-elt-activity/
Training: Try singing the song with the fluency and at the speed that they do in the video 🙂
Listen to the complete song twice.
Then divide the song into chunks (small portions or parts, as the stanzas in the lyrics) and pause it, so you can try singing that little part.
After that, try singing the full song.
This is is great training ! Give it a try !
If you don’t wanna see me
Did a full 180, crazy
Thinking ’bout the way I was
Did the heartbreak change me? Maybe
But look at where I ended up
I’m all good already
So moved on, it’s scary
I’m not where you left me at all, so
If you don’t wanna see me dancing with somebody
If you wanna believe that anything could stop me
Don’t show up, don’t come out
Don’t start caring about me now
Walk away, you know how
Don’t start caring about me now
Aren’t you the guy who tried to
Hurt me with the word “goodbye”?
Though it took some time to survive you
I’m better on the other side
I’m all good already
So moved on, it’s scary
I’m not where you left me at all, so
If you don’t wanna see me dancing with somebody
If you wanna believe that anything could stop me
Don’t show up, don’t come out
Don’t start caring about me now
Walk away, you know how
Don’t start caring about me now (’bout me now, ’bout me)
Oh, oh
Don’t come out, out, out
Don’t show up, up, up
Don’t start now (oh)
Oh, oh
Don’t come out, out
I’m not where you left me at all, so
If you don’t wanna see me dancing with somebody
If you wanna believe that anything could stop me
Don’t show up (don’t show up), don’t come out (don’t come out)
Don’t start caring about me now (’bout me now)
Walk away (walk away), you know how (you know how)
Don’t start caring about me now (so)
Oh, oh
Don’t come out, out, out
Don’t show up, up, up
Walk away, walk away (so)
Oh, oh
Don’t come out, out, out
Don’t show up, up, up
Walk away, walk away, oh
About Dua Lipa:
Born and raised in London to Kosovar-Albanian parents Dua Lipa signed to Warner Records in 2015, releasing her self titled debut in 2017 which featured the hit singles, ‘Be The One’, ‘IDGAF’, ‘Hotter Than Hell’ & her first UK #1 hit ‘New Rules’.
Critical success soon followed as Dua Lipa picked up Brit Awards for ‘Best Female Solo Artist’ and ‘Best British Breakthrough Act’ as well as Grammy Awards for ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Dance Recording’ for the track ‘Electricity’ in collaboration with Silk City.
Her second internationally acclaimed studio album ‘Future Nostalgia’ was released in 2020 and included the hit singles ‘Don’t Start Now, ‘Break My Heart’, ‘Hallucinate’ and ‘Levitating’, with the remix album ‘Club Future Nostalgia’ following shortly after featuring guest appearances from ‘Blackpink’, ‘Missy Elliott’, ‘Madonna’ and ‘Gwen Stefani’.
product management made easy | management
Listen to your customer !~Listen ! Listen ! Listen !
There is probably one part of the product management job we can all agree is the hardest – people. People are unpredictable, have strong opinions and unconscious biases, and many people in your organisation have more power than you, yet are wrong just as often. In this illuminating talk from Mind the Product San Francisco 2017 Janna Bastow, Co-Founder of Mind the Product and Co-Founder and CEO of ProdPad, shares her own stories of dealing with people, and how she handles the toughest part of the job.
brain-perks 