Books published by Alpha Books United

It's a surprising combination of the illustrations of three animals that represent a collection of cautionary tales. The author counts on the creative imagination of the reader to grasp the full meaning of the three animals represented here: a boa constrictor, an elephant and a whale. The boa constrictor and the elephant are taken from the imaginative tale of St-Exupéry's "The Little Prince" where we find a boa constrictor swallowing an elephant that grown ups call a "hat." As to the whale, it's there to remind the reader of the Biblical whale that swallowed Jonah.It's a reminder of being in the belly of the beast. The cautionary tales in this book are thus represented as tales of the creative imagination that remind the reader that sometimes one needs to be cautious about what one does or hears. The author simply asks the reader to open one's mind to the fascination of imaginary tales that rival so called fact and reality. Children are most often sensitive to what grown-ups fail to decipher and understand.They see a boa constrictor swallowing an elephant while grownups see a hat.

Melding the historical, the imaginary, and the fine arts, The Boy With the Blue Cap presents the story behind Van Gogh's paintings through the narrative of a young, precocious boy, Camille Roulin, son of a postal worker. Camille develops a close relationship with the artist and pulls the reader into the story as he follows Van Gogh around Arles, exploring his world of vibrant color and artistry. When Van Gogh meets two gypsy women, events in and around Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, heat up, providing an element of intrigue. Weaving the artistic life of Van Gogh, his spiritual thoughts, and his relationship to Gauguin, into the story of a boy and his family, the novel explores the exploits and talent of this great artist. It also captures the unique flavor of Provençal life during the eighteen month period in which Van Gogh lived and painted in the Midi."L'art, c'est un combat------dans l'art, il faut y mettre sa peau."Art is a combat-in art you have to sacri‚ce your own hide.Vincent van Gogh to his brother, éo (180N).

This is the sequel to the first part of the author's memoir, The Little Eater of Bleeding Hearts. The first part goes from early childhood to about the age of seventeen when we leave the young man on the beach at Fortunes Rocks in Biddeford, Maine. The second part When the Flowers Are Gone covers the age of maturity, from seventeen on to the stages of full growth up to retirement from the university as Professor Emeritus. This part covers an entire panoply of activities, awards and involvement in teaching and social life. It includes the many travels and numerous participatory experiences in academic life including several courses that the author taught and devised such as "Transcultural Healing," that was initially based on the concept of Hispanic curanderismo. Most of all, the author lists the many books that he conceived, both in English and in French, that were eventually published. This two-part refreshing of the many memories in the author's life becomes his legacy both as a human being and teacher who struggled with the concept of success until he reached his goal as a full-fledged author and respected teacher.