Audiobooks narrated by Rebecca Gallagher

A Chance Meeting: American Encounters Audiobook

Weaving a tapestry of creativity and circumstance, this chronicle of the many links and serendipitous meetings between giants of American culture—from Henry James to Gertrude Stein to Zora Neale Hurston to Marcel Duchamp—now includes a new afterword by the author. Rachel Cohen's A Chance Meeting is a dazzling group portrait that offers a striking new vision of the making and remaking of the American mind and imagination from the Civil War to the Vietnam War. How does the happenstance of daily life become history? Cohen shows us, describing a series of, now boldly, now subtly, transformative encounters between a wide and surprising range of Americans. A young Henry James has his portrait taken by the photographer Mathew Brady—Brady, who will receive Walt Whitman in his studio and depict General Grant on the battlefield. Later, W.E.B. Du Bois and his professor William James visit Helen Keller; Edward Steichen and Alfred Stieglitz argue about photography; and Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston write a play together. Throughout, Cohen's narrative loops back and leaps forward with supreme agility, connecting, among others, Willa Cather, Elizabeth Bishop, Marianne Moore, Beauford Delaney, James Baldwin, and Richard Avedon. In A Chance Meeting, Rachel Cohen offers an abiding account of the challenges and the astonishing achievements of American life.

Rachel Cohen (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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A Lancaster Amish Christmas: 4 Romance Novellas

Christmas Is Simply a Time for Love Enjoy a simple Amish Christmas in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, that is sweetened by second chances, trimmed in love, and wrapped in faith. Lucy's Christmas Sunbeam by Anne Blackburne When her parents suddenly died, Lucy stepped into the mother role for her infant sister with Down's Syndrome. But Lucy's boyfriend wasn't interested in a readymade family. Living in the dawdi house on her brother's farm, Lucy is happy with life--until she literally runs into the hardware store owner and desire for romance returns. A Bird-in-Hand Christmas by Amy Clipston After learning her boyfriend, Wyatt, was seeing someone else, Makayla moved across state and married. Recently widowed, she visits her parents for Christmas, only to find that Wyatt is still single and working for her father. When her five-year-old son instantly bonds with Wyatt, Makayla starts to hope for a second chance at love. Christmas Lily by Amy Lillard Seven-year-old Jacob Bontrager is working hard to help his lonely widower father find love again. He believes his pretty new teacher who has just moved to the community is perfect, but none of his matchmaking works until a snowstorm strands Lily Kate Troyer at the Bontrager farm. Could God and nature be on Jacob's side? Leaving Lancaster by Mindy Steele The Wicky sisters didn't expect their father to sell their thriving deer farm with plans to move them to Kentucky. Always obedient Louise fears for her growing jam business. Beth cannot wait to start a new adventure while her twin, Leah, is running out of time for a happy-ever-after. They have only one Christmas left in Lancaster. Can God deliver a Christmas miracle for all three?

Amy Clipston, Amy Lillard, Anne Blackburne, Mindy Steele (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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A Woman in the Polar Night

This rediscovered classic memoir tells the incredible tale of a woman defying society's expectations to find freedom and peace in the adventure of a lifetime. In 1934, the painter Christiane Ritter leaves her comfortable life in Austria and travels to the remote Arctic island of Spitsbergen, to spend a year there with her husband. She thinks it will be a relaxing trip, a chance to 'read thick books in the remote quiet and, not least, sleep to my heart's content,' but when Christiane arrives she is shocked to realize that they are to live in a tiny ramshackle hut on the shores of a lonely fjord, hundreds of miles from the nearest settlement, battling the elements every day, just to survive. At first, Christiane is horrified by the freezing cold, the bleak landscape the lack of equipment and supplies . . . But as time passes, after encounters with bears and seals, long treks over the ice and months on end of perpetual night, she finds herself falling in love with the Arctic's harsh, otherworldly beauty, gaining a great sense of inner peace and a new appreciation for the sanctity of life.

Christiane Ritter (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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The Protector

A Mysterious Disappearance Shakes an Amish Family's Faith In book one of A Mifflin County Mystery series, Rosa Petersheim has disappeared from the Big Valley without a trace. Norman always considered himself his sister's protector and can't believe she would have left home of her own accord--so he must have failed her. He throws all he has into helping the authorities search for Rosa, while trying to support his parents and siblings who are struggling both mentally and physically. Salina Swarey loves Norman and hopes they are headed towards marriage, but his obsession with Rosa's whereabouts is driving them apart. Can Norman find a place of peace and contentment if he never learns where Rosa is?

Wanda E Brunstetter (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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A Word Is Not a Sparrow: A Benefit Anthology for Ukraine Relief

Artists in Ukraine have lost their livelihoods. The Ukraine Audiobook Relief Project was launched to support artists in Ukraine whose lives are threatened because of war. It is a fundamental aspect of war to suppress story, language, and culture. Moved by this crisis of culture, members of PANA (the Professional Audiobook Narrators Association) created this audiobook to raise money for Ukrainian relief. Joined by writers and musicians, we have volunteered our work to show our support for artists living through war. The profits from the sale of this audiobook will provide financial support to the Artists at Risk Connection in Ukraine through PEN America, a non-profit organization that endeavors to safeguard the right to artistic freedom of expression and ensure that artists and cultural professionals everywhere can live and work without fear. We urge you to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine by supporting its artists. The folk wisdom of Ukraine includes this expression: “A word is not a sparrow … once it flies out, you won’t catch it.' A Word Is Not A Sparrow is a diverse anthology of stories set amid Russian repression through the centuries; personal narrator testimony about the impact in America of immigrant grandparents from Ukraine and elsewhere; powerful fables and allegories that deliver universal messages about displacement, migration, and human connection; and classic Cossack folk tales that are a touchstone of Ukrainian culture. Listen as we let these words fly out around the world. Narrated by PANA member volunteers Barry Abrams, Jennifer Jill Araya, Dave Arlington, Rosemary Benson, Anna Crowe, Claudia Dunn, Andrea Emmes, Gary Furlong, Rebecca Gallagher, Caroline Hewitt, Susan Iannucci, Elizabeth Jasicki, Tom Jordan, Jennifer March, Janet Metzger, Rich Miller, Erin Moon, Sara Morsey, Traci Odom, Sheri Saginor and Tiffany Williams. Music by Michael Nazaretz & the Samovar Russian Folk Ensemble, Jeff Crompton, Roger French, and Kenny Raskin. Writers include Barry Abrams, Sholem Yankev Abramovitsh, Andrea Emmes and Karen Bogle, Vladislav Davidzon, Christopher Dewees, Thaisa Frank, Teresa Johnson, Alla Kudzieva, Taras Shevchenko, and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch.

Alla Kudzieva, Andrea Emmes, Barry Abrams, Christopher Dewees, Karen Bogle, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, Sholem Yankev Abramovitsh, Taras Shevchenko, Teresa Johnson, Thaisa Frank, Vladislav Davidzon (Author), Anna Crowe, Caroline Hewitt, Claudia Dunn, Dave Arlington, Elizabeth Jasicki, Erin Moon, Gary Furlong, Janet Metzger, Jennifer Jill Araya, Jennifer March, Rebecca Gallagher, Rich Miller, Rosemary Benson, Sara Morsey, Sheri Saginor, Susan Iannucci, Tiffany Williams, Tom Jordan, Traci Odom (Narrator)

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True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America

From the Northern Rockies to the Southwest deserts, Betsy Gaines Quammen explores how myths shape our identities, heighten polarizations, and fracture our shared understanding of the world around us. As she investigates the origins and effects of myths of the American West, Gaines Quammen travels through small towns and big cities, engaging people and building relationships at every stop. Misperceptions about land, politics, liberty, and self-determination threaten the well-being of people and communities across the country, and Gaines Quammen interrogates it all as she seeks to reconcile the anger and misunderstandings that continue to be fueled by the West's enduring myths and complex history. Whether sitting down with a militia member seeking to protect his rural Utah town from Antifa or talking with grassroots organizers working across ideological divides, Gaines Quammen brings to life connections and contradictions that shape our politics and our lives far beyond the West.

Betsy Gaines Quammen (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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The Once & Future Witch Hunt: A Descendant's Reckoning from Salem to the Present

As the descendant of Martha Carrier, an accused woman executed at Salem, Alice Markham-Cantor presents a riveting story that spans centuries and brings the historical significance of the witch trials into modern times. Extensively researched and told through alternating fiction and nonfiction chapters, this book illuminates a shocking truth: contrary to popular opinion, the witch hunts never ended. Alice shares research that suggests tens of thousands of witch hunt-related deaths have happened all over the world in the last thirty years. The Once & Future Witch Hunt also features tantalizing glimpses into Alice's ancestors' lives and reimagines the trials through fact-based fiction. At the intersection of witchcraft, feminism, anthropology, and history, this book gives us as authentic a retelling as may ever be possible while trying to answer that single, irrepressible question: how could this have happened?

Alice Markham-Cantor (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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Mary's Calico Hope

Mary Yoder Is Content Despite Challenges Thrown Her Way Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country. If God wills it, Mary Yoder will do it, even if that means using crutches for the rest of her life. She was badly injured in a buggy accident as a child. Still, she is content living in the Dawdi Haus connected to her parents' farmhouse and with her work weaving baskets and raising specialty roosters whose feathers she uses to make excellent trout lures. She is truly happy at twenty-nine, but. . .she wouldn't mind finding a husband-if the Lord wills it. Along comes Reuben King, a Mennonite doctor. They are attracted to one another, but how could they ever be together? She's a baptized Amish woman, so it seems impossible. Also, he wants her to have surgery to improve her mobility and lessen her day-to-day pain. She's sick and tired of surgeries! But if God wills it, she'll do it. And just maybe there will be a way for these two unlikely souls to connect. The Heart of the Amish Series Also Includes: The Flower Quilterby Mindy Steele Ruth's Ginger Snap Surprise by Anne Blackburne The Quilt Room Secret by Lisa Jones Baker Courting the Amish Bishop by Mindy Steele

Anne Blackburne (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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Courting an Amish Bishop

Simon Graber became a widower and a bishop early in life. His sole focus is his very close-knit Old Order Amish community - not entertaining the idea of marriage, despite what many of the elders think. When sickness comes to Cherry Grove, Kentucky, Simon reaches out to a neighboring community for help. But help begins to look a lot like a second chance when Stella Schmucker agrees to offer her vast herbal knowledge to the sick. Can it be that these two, who have been too busy serving others to entertain the idea of love, have met at just the perfect time for an unlikely courtship?

Mindy Steele (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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The Quilt Room Secret

Trini Holds Secret Dreams for Her Future Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country. Jacob Lantz asked Trini Sutter to marry him when he was five. The mature nine-year-old thoughtfully responded that she'd consider his proposal when they were older. Now, nearly two decades later, the Amish farmer returns to the beautiful countryside of Arthur, Illinois, to take the independent Quilt Room owner up on her promise. Quiet, handsome Jacob is truly in love with the spirited "list maker," and Trini finds herself falling in love with Jacob, but the youngest of eleven has big plans of her own. Will she forfeit her plan for the man of her dreams? The Heart of the Amish Series Also Includes: The Flower Quilter by Mindy Steele Ruth's Ginger Snap Surprise by Anne Blackburne Courting the Amish Bishop by Mindy Steele Mary's Calico Hope by Anne Blackburne

Lisa Jones Baker (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools

In Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools, accomplished educator Kass Minor delivers an inspiring and practical exploration of what it means to be a just teacher in a system that actively incentivizes injustice. The author explains how to build joyful experiences even in the face of inevitable injustice and demonstrates how to accept the seemingly conflicting experience of joy in the face of heartbreak. In the book, you'll learn to be a catalyst for change, unlearning the patterns of school that have marginalized children while becoming aware of tenets of justice as they manifest in educational spaces. You'll also discover: - Strategies for creating human-centered care and joy, in which thoughts, actions, and decisions are drawn from the school community - Techniques for creating student-centered experiences within standards-based classrooms - How to raise the level of family involvement in your students' education and improve communication An essential blueprint for K-12 educators, school support staff, and school administrators, Teaching Fiercely will also earn a place on the bookshelves of education policymakers, researchers, and students.

Kass Minor (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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Sisters by the Sea

Journey with the bestselling Brunstetter authors to the unique tropical Amish community in Sarasota, Florida, along with four young sisters originally from Indiana. Seashell Cake: Leora Lambright is the first to leave home, seeking a warmer climate for health reasons. While on a winter holiday, roofer John Miller meets Leora in the bakery. They are instantly attracted to each other. Beach Ball: Violet, the youngest of the four Lambright sisters, has always been a bit wild. She moves to Florida to live with her sister as she seeks her independence and considers leaving the Amish way of life. Her beauty and free spirit attract a lot of male attention like Levi, who is also Amish. Fragments of a Sand Dollar: Francine Lambright is heartbroken that her longtime boyfriend, Matthew, is thinking of leaving the Amish faith, and they have broken up. She is ready to join the church, but her sister invites her to Florida for an extended visit before taking the pledge of faith. While shell hunting at Lido Beach, Francine meets Lucas Hayes, and they soon begin seeing each other. Sarasota Sunset: Alana Lambright has suffered a series of unfortunate accidents and emotional traumas that have left her plagued by anxiety. While on a visit to her sister in Florida, she takes up seashell artwork. James Miller, a recent college graduate, meets Alana, and, due to his own past, he is initially turned off by the fact that she is Amish. Still, he invites Alana on adventurous outings.

Jean Brunstetter, Lorine Brunstetter Van Corbach, Richelle Brunstetter, Wanda Brunstetter (Author), Rebecca Gallagher (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Rebecca Gallagher