Edizioni Sonda
Italian publishing house born in 1988. Publishing non fiction for adults and children with passion and curiosity.
View Rights PortalItalian publishing house born in 1988. Publishing non fiction for adults and children with passion and curiosity.
View Rights PortalSid is a lonely boy who detests idle, lonely trees. He has good reasons though. At least he likes to think so. He does not notice the friendship between the dangling leaves, dancing to the song of the wind. He ignores countless birds returning to the safety of their comfy homes, nestled in the soft spots of rough branches, after a long day of collecting worms. So when he is called a brainless tree for missing a save in soccer at school, it is easy for him to decide he never wants to be a tree, until one morning he wakes up to have transformed into one. Srividhya Venkat spins a delectable fantasy around thinking twice about what you wish for, or not and depicts the transformation of Sid’s lonely life after he embraces the excitable voices of kids twisted in his vines and the ecosystem hovering above him. Nayantara Surendranath’s eccentric combination of art collage and digital creation expresses the refreshing quirks that breathe life into the tale.
Hank and Norm were living the good life: two friends with plenty of money, homes in a lovely California retirement town, and no problems―except for the boredom that felt almost fatal. Then Mai came into the picture, the love of Hank's life during his CIA days in Saigon, desperately needing his help to save the son he'd never known he had.Boredom was over, as Hank and Norm hit the road, following the few clues Mai could give them in search of a man who desperately wants not to be found. What they find is a slew of lies and hidden truths, strange characters, improbable danger that has them fighting to survive, and the happy lesson that their lives are far from over.
Ximi is a shy young boy from the countryside. A female graduate from the city of Suzhou was sent to live in Ximi’s village in the late 1960s. This beautiful young woman, with her pure and gentle character and her spirit power, led Ximi, formerly an obstinate and unruly country boy, into a new period of growth. With detailed description of subtle emotion, this is an elegant book about a boy’s growth of the soul. The peaceful village, the quiet wheat field, the spinning windmill, little boats in a river, pigeons of different colors, the snow-white fluffy ends of reeds, and the smoke curling upwards, such year-round beautiful country scenery is the witness to the boy's coming-of-age ceremony.
Experiencing your Potential was inspired by the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais and the renowned Israeli philosopher Prof. Jeshaiahu Leibovich, the author's celebrated teachers and mentors. Reading the book is a unique experience – the experience of a journey into man’s spiritual world. This world is complex and complicated, but always attractive and interesting. Experiencing your Potential offers thinking challenges to the interested reader and inspiration and guidance to anyone involved in performance education. Dr. Shoshani’s knowledge is extensive, amazingly profound, and devoid of stiffing academics. One cannot be but impressed by the intellectual work invested in the writing of this concise yet comprehensive book. The exciting encounter between the worlds of psychology and education lends a special quality and is intellectually challenging. The author is an artist and researcher who integrates knowledge of eastern and western cultures and creates a new perspective in performance education. His innovative path has been recognized internationally: Dr. Shoshani has lectured in academic institutions abroad, including: the Royal Academy for Music and Drama, Glasgow; the Drama Department of Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; Actors Studio in New York; and Ithaca College, N.Y. . Dr. Shoshani is the Head of the Center for the Culture of the East in Jerusalem. The Hebrew edition of this book was adopted by Israel’s Ministry of Education and Culture for use at teacher-training institutes. An English-language eBook edition was published in spring 2013 by Samuel Wachtman's Sons, Inc., CA. 119 pages, 15X23 cm
Connaître son potentiel – en suivant les travaux de Feldenkrais par Abraham Shoshani Connaître son potentiel est inspiré par les travaux du Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais et du fameux philosophe israélien, le Professeur Yeshaiahu Leibovich, qui ont été les vénérés professeurs et modèles de l’auteur. La lecture de ce livre constitue une expérience unique – l’expérience d’un voyage dans le monde spiritual de l’être humain. Ce monde est complexe et compliqué, mais toujours intéressant et attirant. Connaître son potentiel offres des défis intellectuels au lecteur intéressé et, pour quiconque s’occupe d’éducation de performance, inspiration et guidance. Les connaissances du Dr. Shoshani sont étendues, d’une profondeur étonnante et dénuées de rigidité académique. On ne peut s’empêcher d’être impressionné par le travail intellectuel investi dans l’écriture de ce livre concis et cependant complet. La rencontre passionnante entre le monde de la psychologie et celui de l’éducation lui donne une qualité particulière et une marque de défi intellectuel. L’auteur est un artiste et chercheur qui intègre la connaissance des cultures orientale et occidentale et crée une nouvelle perspective dans l’éducation de performance. Son cheminement innovateur jouit d’une reconnaissance internationale: à l’étranger, le Dr. Shoshani a donné des conférences dans des institutions académiques, parmi lesquelles: l’Académie Royale de Musique et d’Art Dramatique à Glasgow; le Département d’Art Dramatique de la Carnegie Mellon University à Pittsburgh; le Actors Studio à New York; et le Ithaca College à New York. Le Dr. Shoshani est le directeur du Centre de la Culture à Jérusalem Est. L'édition du livre en hébreu a été adoptée par le Ministère de l’Education et de la Culture en Israël comme manuel dans les instituts d’entraînement des éducateurs.
History records Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a man whose melodies seemed to have sprung from angels, reaching him faster than he could write them down. How did he manage to develop and excel professionally in spite of family tragedies – the death of four of his six children, health problems, the failure to find work, the financial problems of his final years – while managing the task of being the busiest musician in Europe during the eighteenth century? What made this amazing musical polymath tick? In Mozart: The Man Behind the Music, Dr. Amos Navon, classical flautist and consummate biographer, answers profound and hypnotic questions about the man behind the music by examining those elements in Mozart’s life that shaped his personality and determined his destiny, as the reader accompanies the genius composer on the journey that would depict the creation of his unheralded masterpiece, opera seria Idomeneo. In addition, the author describes Mozart’s remarkable development through writing wind instrument music for virtuoso friends. We also explore Mozart’s collaboration with Lorenzo Da Ponte, the librettist of his three greatest operas, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan Tutte. But this is not simply a dry exploration of composition. We learn of the very human Mozart – of Constanze, who barely survived as Mozart’s wife and the mother of his children, and who, after his death, spent her life keeping her husband’s memory alive. The reader suffers through Mozart’s economic woes during the time he lived in Salzburg and later on in Vienna, his interactions with Baron Raymond Wetzlar von Plankenstein, and even his “begging letters” to Michael Puchberg. The rounded-out story of this intensely human being reflects Mozart’s dependence on friends in times of financial need, the role of gambling in his daily life, his attitude toward religion, and whether his ultimate dream of living a wealthy, bourgeois life ever really materialized. Amos Navon, Ph.D. graduated from Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. A senior biologist, flautist, and participant in nationally known chamber music ensembles, he has previously published three books of poetry. An English-language eBook edition was published in summer 2016 by Samuel Wachtman's Sons, Inc., CA. 164 Pgaes, 15X22.5 cm
Yang Peng's Award-winning Novels are a collection of the award-winning works of Yang Peng's many outstanding stories. Not only are the selected articles humorous, but also rich in imagination. They are also rich in profound educational philosophy that can enlighten the mind and help readers to reflect on themselves. Dad is strange lately! He has always been very busy so that no one could see him most of time during a day. If one saw him, it was most likely that he flipped his book with a bread in hand. What was he doing? It turned out that, in order for his son to spend more time to study, he decided to invent a sleeping machine—to replace or exchange for his son's sleeping time by his time! With the father's days and nights efforts, the sleeping machine finally came true. The dad began to feel peaceful or good to sleep on hehalf of his son. However, would the son who suddenly lost his father's control seriously study for his father? What would be the consquences eventually?
Michel Ezra Safra & Sons is a family saga by a well-known Israeli writer, Amnon Shamosh. The story is semibiographical and takes place partly in Aleppo, Syria, the birthplace of the author. The book describes the life, struggles, and dispersion of a well-to-do Syrian Jewish family during the course of three generations, beginning in the mid-1930’s. The story of the Ezra Safra family is the tale of a Middle Eastern Jewish society and its basic traditional values, which are constantly challenged by other norms, both circumstantial and universal. Shaken by local and global upheavals, the family, headed by Michel and his pretty wife Linda, is driven from their hometown of Aleppo during riots in the aftermath of the United Nations resolution in late 1947 on the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. Michel, a practical figure, continues to rule his worldwide business empire. His grip on his children seems to loosen, however, though he still enjoys their respect and love. Rachmo, the eldest son and heir apparent, runs the Paris branch of the family business, but his conduct as a family man does not live up to his parents’ standards. Albert, his younger brother, abhors business and shuns the course he is expected to take. He finds an outlet in Zionist underground activity, including “smuggling” Jews into Palestine. Five other Safra sons and daughters emigrate to Europe, America, and Israel. What concerns Michel most, disturbing and haunting him, is not the state of his financial empire, but a grave “sin” that he has committed. When the old synagogue of Aleppo was set on fire, Michel rescued the “Aram Zova” Torah scroll and managed to keep it from burning. He removed a piece from this priceless, sacred scroll and secreted it in a safe in Nice, France. Although this treasure is protected, Michel construes the tragedies that befall the family as divine punishment. Throughout the novel, the reader follows Michel on his worldwide travels, settling family and business affairs, burdened by poor health and by his conscience. The life of his son Albert, now an influential member of a collective settlement in Israel, is completely alien to him. The saga of the Ezra Safra family draws to a finale when Michel dies heartbroken a few days after his grandson is killed during the 1967 Six-Day War. Later, Rachmo, who was made party to his father’s secret, dies of a heart attack upon learning that the scroll in Nice has been stolen. Linda agrees to join her children in Israel, but refuses to live with them. She chooses to live a solitary life, surrounded by photos and memories of the past. Michel Ezra Safra and Sons was made into a highly successful mini-series for the Israeli television. French and Spanish translations of the entire novel are available! 348 pages, 14.5X21 cm
Ein Ro'eem is a comedy that takes place on a kibbutz in Israel. Some kibbutz members create a show for a children's celebration and rehearse in a field amid successful and unsuccessful love affairs that threaten to derail the performance. Meanwhile, the kibbutz decides to cut down part of its unprofitable orchard, inspiring orchard workers to strike. Will they save the orchard? Will the love affairs survive? And will the show succeed? In Out There, in the Forest, three plots are intertwined. A British journalist is intrigued by a mysterious masked murderer in The East African Republic and travels there to find him. Who is this murderer? Is there a reason for his attacks, or is he simply a lunatic? He desperately wants to look the murderer in the eyes. Meanwhile, three American women struggle with harsh living conditions in a cave in the jungle. Will they survive their battle against nature? Simultaneously, the local population rebels against their ruler, who rose to power in a military coup. Will their revolt succeed or will they continue to endure the harsh regime? Shmuel Cohavy is an Israeli writer who spent most of his youth on a kibbutz. He also worked at the Timna copper mines and studied history and filmmaking at Tel Aviv University. Although Cohavy’s plays have been presented in the Finborough Theatre in London, this book marks the first time his plays have been published in English. An English-language eBook edition was published in late 2014 by Samuel Wachtman’s Sons, Inc., CA. 314 pages, 15 x 22.5 cm
They live beside us. They need our help and attention to survive. Most of us accept their presence without questioning. Part of us ignore them entirely and part of us give them food and water. These are the street cats. What do we know about them? – very little. This book is ought to show the reader the special and interesting world of the street cats focusing on one community for about 14 years (of observation). Here you will read on the social life, on hierarchy that exists in their community, on their leaders and various social behavior. The reader will also meet the heroic acts of various cats, the wonderful friendship relations between them and their very special patterns of motherhood etc. At the end of reading the book the street cat who was for most readers just an anonymous animal spending a lot of time near garbage cases will become a familiar animal, interesting and liked. Raphaella Bilski has been a member of the Department of Political Science in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. She specializes in modern political philosophy, welfare and social policy and in the subject of happiness. Her most known books are "Every Individual – A King, the Political and Social Thought of Zeev Jabotinsky" (Dvir, Tel Aviv and Bnai Brith, New York). For this book she got The Jabotinsky Price. Her second known book is "The Lure of Happiness" (Carmel, Jerusalem). She was the director at the Van Leer Foundation (1977-1980) and an advisor on social and welfare policy to the Israel prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Yitzhak Shamir and Shimon Peres. From 1990-1992 she began taking care of street cats who constituted a community in her garden. This book is based on 14 years of observation. She continues to take care of street cats and is about to write a second book on this subject. An English-language eBook edition was published in late 2014 by Samuel Wachtman's Sons, Inc., CA. 242 pages , 15x 22.5 cm
Son of Man by Sylfest Lomheim offers a groundbreaking retelling of the life of Jeshua, the figure known to the world as Jesus. This novel departs from traditional gospel narratives, providing a fresh and humanized perspective on Jeshua's journey from a modest upbringing in Nazareth to becoming a profound prophet. Through vivid storytelling, Lomheim explores the struggles, wisdom, and humanity of Jeshua, presenting a story that challenges conventional beliefs while deeply engaging readers. A narrative filled with historical accuracy and compelling details, Son of Man invites both believers and non-believers to reimagine the story of one of history’s most influential figures. It’s a tale that resonates with modern audiences, blending the sacred with the ordinary, and offering new insights into a life that has shaped Western civilization.
Only a once wanted underground activist, who later operated as a senior ex-Mossad agent, could have imagined this tantalizing plot. A group of European scientists and retired military personnel believe that western democracies and the United Nations are incapable of facing aggressive dictatorships. None of the imposed "sanctions" seem to impress the tyrants. The group members are horrified with the notion of a devastating nuclear disaster in a matter of two or three years that would claim the lives of hundreds of millions. They decide to take preventive action, and contend with this threat employing unusual and original methods, without the use of force or violence, propaganda or incitement, and yet with no less effective results. The group’s leader is a woman (a history professor at the Sorbonne in Paris), a retired admiral, a scientist and an ex-commando officer – all British. Professionals from various European countries join them in their cause, and together they reach amazing levels of technological sophistication though have to overcome unforeseen problems – or else the entire project would be jeopardized. David Shomron was born in Istanbul, where his parents had found refuge during the Communist Revolution in Russia, and immigrated with them in 1934 to Israel (then Palestine). The author has invested ten years in the underground movements before the State of Israel was established, and later served as a high ranking officer in the Mossad during more than twenty years. Subsequently, he headed for 13 Years a civilian security company as the C.E.O. of "BRINKS Israel Ltd.". In his 90's, David Shomron is a much sought-after lecturer on the time of the British Mandate. He has published four books – two on his life as an underground operator, and two novels – and continues to write to this day. David, now remarried, lives with his wife in Jerusalem. They have two daughters, nine grand children and nine great-grandchildren. An English-language eBook edition was published in fall 2016 by Samuel Wachtman's Sons, Inc.,CA. 460 Pages, 15X22 cm
Who are the ghostinosours? What are clouds made of? How to prepare trubel and what may happen if you do not limit yourself and do everything you want? My Dad and Me’s main hero is about 4 years old and seeks to find answers to all these questions. His life is full of adventures: he is a dreamer and make-believer. He often disobeys his father and dislikes brushing his teeth. All in all, every young reader can find a bit of themselves in this little one. My Dad and Me is a treasure book of honest, warm-hearted stories about the close connection between father and son, about little things and great discoveries in the eyes of children, about trust and adventures they can share, and fundamentally, about mutual understanding. Even when someone can’t pronounce “r " yet! From 6 to 9 years, 4883 words Rightsholders: n.miroshnyk@vivat.factor.ua
A shepherd-boy, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, brought out the villagers three or four times by crying out, "Wolf! Wolf!" and when his neighbors came to help him, laughed at them for their pains. The Wolf, however, did truly come at last. The Shepherd-boy, now really alarmed, shouted in an agony of terror: "Pray, do come and help me; the Wolf is killing the sheep"; but no one paid any heed to his cries, nor rendered any assistance.
Léon qui a perdu son pantalon (au milieu de la danse) - par Israël (Poochoo) Wiesler C’est l’histoire d’un garçon fluet qui au début n’aimait pas manger et il était très maigre, mais ensuite, quand il a finalement commencé à manger – il n’arrêtait plus. C’était terrible: quand il était maigre, son pantalon tombait, et lorsqu’il a gagné du poids, alors les coutures craquaient. Que peut-on faire? Demandez à sa mère qui a une solution pour chaque problème. Ce livre, qui s’est vendu extrêmement bien en Israël pendant les dix dernières années, est devenu récemment encore plus populaire lorsque parents et enfants sont devenus plus conscients du problème de l’obésité chez les enfants. Bien que cette histoire ait une morale, son grand succès (12 éditions ont été publiées à ce jour!) découle principalement de l’amusement que les jeunes lecteurs éprouvent à lire cette histoire. L’auteur, Israël Wiesler (surnommé “Poochoo”), est né à Tel-Aviv et a publié son premier livre, “Quelle bande,” à l’âge de 26 ans. “Quelle bande” a gagné un prix littéraire important, est devenu un best-seller et a été adapté en film qui a eu du succès. Depuis, Wiesler a écrit plus de trente livres et des douzaines de scripts pour des séries de télévisions dirigées pour les enfants et les jeunes adultes. Les ouvrages de Wiesler, écrits avec un sens de l’humour chaleureux et particulier, a gagné six prix littéraires en Israël. Dans le fameux “Lexique Ofek” de la littérature enfantine en hébreu, Wiesler est décrit comme “le meilleur écrivain humoristique pour enfants et jeunes adultes en Israël.” Poochoo est l’un des trois seuls écrivains israéliens à avoir été honorés l’an dernier par l’impression d’un timbre-poste représentant la couverture de l’un de ses livres.
Fearless Parenting is about parental authority in modern timesand its pivotal role in raising self-reliant, compassionate, and ethical children, and in preventing behavioral and even severe psychiatric disorders. The last generation witnessed a backlash against disciplining children. We as parents are told to engage in negotiation with our kids about their behavior. We are afraid to be tough with them in case they won't love us or worse—break down. As a result, families today face severe behavior problems at earlier ages, and parents throw up their hands in resignation. The main theme and objective of this book is to prove that setting and enforcing reasonable and appropriate boundaries, combined with learning and education, could save parents' relationships with their kids and literally save children’s lives. The book is unique in that it presents in a direct, simple, and yet profound way, real case studies and situations commonly encountered, along with severe cases of drug abuse, delinquencies, and mental disturbances. All cases are shown to respond very well to authority and boundaries adjusted to the specific situation and behavior. The book contains numerous references to professional material for the more advanced reader and derives inspiration from ancient philosophers and religious thinkers. Shulamit Blank, M.D, is a pediatrician and psychiatrist, specializing in child and adolescent behavioral disturbances. Dr. Blank is the founder and, since 1993, CEO of a community-based educational and treatment facility in Israel for children and adolescents with severe psychiatric and behavioral disorders, in which she is successfully implementing her methods, preventing psychiatric hospitalization and incarceration, and minimizing the use of psychiatric drugs through teaching and education adjusted to the child's specific problems, such as ADHD, learning disabilities, etc. Due to her breakthrough approach, Dr. Blank is well-recognized and fully involved in the professional community worldwide. Dr. Blank has three children and seven grandchildren and resides with her spouse near Tel Aviv. Orly Fuchs-Shabtai is a clinical psychologist. In 2006 she established a national program for the prevention of child violence. There are about thirty-five counselors from the therapeutic field in the program, which provides counseling to hundreds of families each year and to teachers of preschool through elementary school. Fuchs-Shabtai is the mother of three grown-up children and lives in Tel Aviv. The authors strive to follow the ancient wisdom of the biblical aphorism: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). An English-Language eBook was published in fall 2014 by Samuel Wachtman's Sons, Inc., CA.
In his first YA novel, cultural journalist and author Abdo Wazen writes about a blind teenager in Lebanon who finds strength and friendship among an unlikely group. Growing up in a small Lebanese village, Bassim’s blindness limits his engagement with the materials taught in his schools. Despite his family’s love and support, his opportunities seem limited. So at thirteen years old, Bassim leaves his village to join the Institute for the Blind in a Beirut suburb. There, he comes alive. He learns Braille and discovers talents he didn’t know he had. Bassim is empowered by his newfound abilities to read and write. Thanks to his newly developed self-confidence, Bassim decides to take a risk and submit a short story to a competition sponsored by the Ministry of Education. After winning the competition, he is hired to work at the Institute for the Blind. At the Institute, Bassim, a Sunni Muslim, forms a strong friendship with George, a Christian. Cooperation and collective support are central to the success of each student at the Institute, a principle that overcomes religious differences. In the book, the Institute comes to symbolize the positive changes that tolerance can bring to the country and society at large. The Boy Who Saw the Color of Air is also a book about Lebanon and its treatment of people with disabilities. It offers insight into the vital role of strong family support in individual success, the internal functioning of institutions like the Institute, as well as the unique religious and cultural environment of Beirut. Wazen’s lucid language and the linear structure he employs result in a coherent and easy-to-read narrative. The Boy Who Saw the Color of Air is an important contribution to a literature in which people with disabilities are underrepresented. In addition to offering a story of empowerment and friendship, this book also aims to educate readers about people with disabilities and shed light on the indispensable roles played by institutions like the Institute.
Ernst Bloch hat seit seiner frühen Jugend versucht, der »Zerstreuung« der Kultur der Jahrhundertwende einen »Systemwillen« entgegenzusetzen. Der Band Logos der Materie dokumentiert diese theoretische Auseinandersetzung vor allem auf dem Gebiet der Logik. Dem Band liegt vor allem die Rekonstruktion eines im Nachlaß verstreuten Buchmanuskripts aus den Jahren 1934-1937 zugrunde. Die Zusammenstellung der weiteren Texte richtet sich nach den Dispositionen von 1949. Blochs Beitrag zur Logik besteht vor allem in einer praxisbezogenen Erkenntnistheorie und einer utopisch-ontologischen Kategorienlehre.