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The Covenant of Water: Exploring the Profound Significance of Water in Culture and Mythology
Introduction:
Water. It's the lifeblood of our planet, the source of all creation in many mythologies, and a recurring symbol in countless cultural narratives. This isn't just about the chemical compound H₂O; it's about the profound, almost spiritual, connection humans have with water, a connection often expressed through the concept of a "covenant of water." This post delves into the multifaceted interpretations of this covenant, exploring its significance across diverse cultures, religions, and even contemporary ecological concerns. We'll examine its historical context, its symbolic power, and its enduring relevance in a world increasingly facing water scarcity.
H2: Ancient Civilizations and the Covenant of Water
Many ancient civilizations viewed water as sacred, a life-giving force deserving of reverence and respect. The Mesopotamians, for example, revered rivers like the Euphrates and Tigris as divine entities, integral to their agricultural prosperity and survival. Their mythology is replete with stories depicting water as both a source of creation and a powerful, potentially destructive force – a reflection of their intimate relationship with and dependence on these waterways. Similarly, Egyptian civilization, heavily reliant on the Nile, saw the river as a life-giving deity, integral to their religious beliefs and societal structure. The annual flooding of the Nile wasn't just a natural event; it was a sacred act, a renewal signifying life, fertility, and the continued grace of the gods.
H2: Water in Religious and Spiritual Contexts
The concept of a "covenant of water" resonates powerfully within religious contexts. In many faith traditions, water serves as a symbolic element of purification, cleansing, and rebirth. Baptism in Christianity, for instance, utilizes water to signify spiritual cleansing and a new beginning. In Hinduism, the sacred Ganges River is revered as a goddess, its waters believed to possess purifying powers. The ritualistic use of water in these and other religious practices highlights the enduring spiritual significance attributed to water across various faiths. These rituals aren't merely symbolic; they represent a solemn commitment – a covenant – between humanity and the divine, mediated through the sacredness of water.
H3: The Covenant as a Promise and Responsibility
The "covenant of water" can be understood not only as a spiritual connection but also as a moral obligation. This covenant implies a responsibility to protect and conserve this precious resource, recognizing its finite nature and crucial role in sustaining life. Ancient societies understood this implicitly; their relationship with water was built on sustainable practices, a recognition of their dependence on its responsible management. The modern world, with its burgeoning population and industrial development, often overlooks this crucial aspect. The environmental consequences of neglecting this covenant are becoming increasingly apparent, underscoring the urgency of re-establishing a respectful and sustainable relationship with water.
H2: Modern Interpretations and Ecological Concerns
The concept of a "covenant of water" is experiencing a renaissance in the context of modern ecological concerns. Faced with the escalating challenges of water scarcity, pollution, and climate change, the idea of a sacred responsibility towards water is gaining renewed traction. Environmental activists and organizations are advocating for sustainable water management practices, calling for a re-evaluation of our relationship with this vital resource. The language of covenant – implying a solemn promise and a reciprocal responsibility – is proving effective in mobilizing public awareness and promoting responsible stewardship of water resources.
H3: The Role of Storytelling and Art
The enduring significance of the covenant of water is reflected in art, literature, and storytelling across cultures. From ancient myths to contemporary novels, water's symbolic power continues to inspire and captivate. Artistic expressions depicting water often reveal a profound understanding of its life-giving and destructive potential, reinforcing the idea of a complex, even sacred, relationship between humans and this essential element. The ongoing exploration of this theme in artistic endeavors underscores its enduring relevance and the importance of continually re-evaluating our connection with water.
Conclusion:
The "covenant of water" transcends mere symbolism; it embodies a profound and enduring relationship between humanity and the natural world. From ancient civilizations to contemporary ecological movements, the recognition of water's sacredness and the inherent responsibility to protect it has remained a constant, albeit sometimes overlooked, element of human experience. Re-establishing this covenant—respecting, conserving, and celebrating water—is not just an ecological imperative; it's a moral and spiritual obligation for the future of our planet.
FAQs:
1. What are some examples of how ancient cultures honored the covenant of water? Ancient cultures often built temples and shrines near water sources, conducted ritual ceremonies involving water, and developed sophisticated irrigation systems to ensure sustainable water use.
2. How does the concept of the covenant of water relate to modern environmentalism? The covenant of water serves as a powerful metaphor for the urgent need to protect and conserve this precious resource, urging responsible stewardship in the face of climate change and water scarcity.
3. What role does religion play in the concept of the covenant of water? Many religions incorporate water into sacred rituals, symbolizing purification, rebirth, and connection to the divine, thereby reinforcing the idea of a sacred bond between humanity and water.
4. Can you give an example of a modern narrative that explores the covenant of water? Many contemporary novels and films explore themes of water scarcity, environmental degradation, and the consequences of disregarding our responsibility towards this vital resource.
5. How can individuals contribute to upholding the covenant of water in their daily lives? Individuals can contribute by conserving water, supporting sustainable water management policies, reducing pollution, and educating others about the importance of responsible water use.
| the covenant of water: The Covenant of Water Abraham Verghese, 2023-05-18 OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER SUBJECT OF A SIX-PART SUPER SOUL PODCAST SERIES HOSTED BY OPRAH WINFREY ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S BEST BOOKS OF 2023 'One of the best books I've read in my entire life. It's epic. It's transportive . . . It was unputdownable!' Oprah Winfrey, OprahDaily.com Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water follows a family in southern India that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning - and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century a twelve-year-old girl, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this poignant beginning, the young girl and future matriarch - known as Big Ammachi - will witness unthinkable changes at home and at large over the span of her extraordinary life, full of the joys and trials of love and the struggles of hardship. A shimmering evocation of a lost India and of the passage of time itself, The Covenant of Water is a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the hardships undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. Imbued with humour, deep emotion and the essence of life, it is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years. |
| the covenant of water: The Covenant of Water (Oprah's Book Club) , 2024-05-07 |
| the covenant of water: Cutting for Stone Abraham Verghese, 2012-05-17 Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance and bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Moving from Addis Ababa to New York City and back again, Cutting for Stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles—and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined. |
| the covenant of water: The Blood of the Covenant is Thicker Than the Water of the Womb Shema B, 2019-11-08 The Blood of the Covenant is Thicker than the Water of the Womb is the original saying of the idiom Blood is Thicker than Water. It means that people who have shed blood together in the battlefield (blood of the covenant) have a stronger bond than familial ties (water of the womb) which is quite the opposite of the latter - more popular saying. |
| the covenant of water: Blue Covenant Maude Barlow, 2009-05-01 A cautionary account of climate change and the global water supply. “You will not turn on the tap in the same way after reading this book.” —Robert Redford In a book hailed by Publishers Weekly as a “passionate plea for access-to-water activism,” Blue Covenant addresses an environmental crisis that—together with global warming—poses one of the gravest threats to our survival. How did the world’s most vital resource become imperiled? And what must we do to pull back from the brink? In “stark and nearly devastating prose”, world-renowned activist and bestselling author Maude Barlow—who is featured in the acclaimed documentary Flow—discusses the state of the world’s water. Barlow examines how water companies are reaping vast profits from declining supplies, and how ordinary people from around the world have banded together to reclaim the public’s right to clean water, creating a grassroots global water justice movement. While tracing the history of international battles for the right to water, she documents the life-and-death stakes involved in the fight and lays out the actions that we as global citizens must take to secure a water-just world for all (Booklist). “Sounds the water alarm with conviction and authority.” —Kirkus Reviews “This book proves that water deserves another destiny.” —Eduardo Galeano “Blue Covenant will inspire civil society movements around the world.” —Vandana Shiva |
| the covenant of water: The Sweetness of Water Nathan Harris, 2021-06-15 LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 BOOKER PRIZE AND SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE A TIMES BEST PAPERBACK 2022, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 2021, OPRAH BOOK CLUB PICK AND BARACK OBAMA SELECTION 'A fine, lyrical novel, impressive in its complex interweaving of the grand and the intimate, of the personal and political' Observer Landry and Prentiss are two brothers born into slavery, finally freed as the American Civil War draws to its bitter close. Cast into the world without a penny to their names, their only hope is to find work in a society that still views them with nothing but intolerance. Farmer George Walker and his wife Isabelle are reeling from a loss that has shaken them to their core. After a chance encounter, they agree to employ the brothers on their land, and slowly the tentative bonds of trust begin to blossom between the strangers. But this sanctuary survives on a knife's edge, and it isn't long before a tragedy causes the inhabitants of the nearby town to turn their suspicion onto these new friendships, with devastating consequences. '[A] highly accomplished debut' Sunday Times Readers have been swept away by The Sweetness of Water: 'Such a powerful, magnificent book; I urge you to read it. The comparisons with Colson Whitehead are justified' ***** 'A staggering debut and a story that stays with you' ***** 'Thought-provoking and moving . . . a gripping and compelling novel that exposes flaws, mixed emotions and imperfect relationships, and yet it holds on with determination and hope. It fully deserves a 5-star rating' ***** 'Outstanding . . . A book that deserves widespread recognition and a wide audience' ***** |
| the covenant of water: The Tennis Partner Abraham Verghese, 2023-12-12 An unforgettable, illuminating story of how men live and how they survive, from Abraham Verghese, the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of Cutting for Stone and The Covenant of Water, an Oprah's Book Club Pick. “Heartbreaking. . . . Indelible and haunting, [The Tennis Partner] is an elegy to friendship found, and an ode to a good friend lost.”—The Boston Globe When Abraham Verghese, a physician whose marriage is unraveling, relocates to El Paso, Texas, he hopes to make a fresh start as a staff member at the county hospital. There he meets David Smith, a medical student recovering from drug addiction, and the two men begin a tennis ritual that allows them to shed their inhibitions and find security in the sport they love and with each other. This friendship between doctor and intern grows increasingly rich and complex, more intimate than two men usually allow. Just when it seems nothing can go wrong, the dark beast from David’s past emerges once again—and almost everything Verghese has come to trust and believe in is threatened as David spirals out of control. |
| the covenant of water: My Own Country Abraham Verghese, 1995-04-25 From the author of The Covenant of Water and New York Times bestseller Cutting for Stone: a story of medicine in the American heartland, and confronting one's deepest prejudices and fears. “Remarkable.... An account of the [AIDS] plague years in America. Beautifully written…by a doctor who was changed and shaped by his patients.” —The New York Times Book Review Nestled in the Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee, the town of Johnson City had always seemed exempt from the anxieties of modern American life. But when the local hospital treated its first AIDS patient, a crisis that had once seemed an “urban problem” had arrived in the town to stay. Working in Johnson City was Abraham Verghese, a young Indian doctor specializing in infectious diseases. Dr. Verghese became by necessity the local AIDS expert, soon besieged by a shocking number of male and female patients whose stories came to occupy his mind, and even take over his life. Verghese brought a singular perspective to Johnson City: as a doctor unique in his abilities; as an outsider who could talk to people suspicious of local practitioners; above all, as a writer of grace and compassion who saw that what was happening in this conservative community was both a medical and a spiritual emergency. |
| the covenant of water: Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou Ranginui Walker, 2004-01-01 |
| the covenant of water: The Covenant of Water Abraham Verghese, 2023 Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water follows a family in southern India that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning - and in Kerala, water is everywhere. |
| the covenant of water: The Commoner John Burnham Schwartz, 2009-01-06 In this national bestseller from the author of Reservation Road, a young woman, Haruko, becomes the first nonaristocratic woman to penetrate the Japanese monarchy. When she marries the Crown Prince of Japan in 1959, Haruko is met with cruelty and suspicion by the Empress, and controlled at every turn as she tries to navigate this mysterious, hermetic world, suffering a nervous breakdown after finally giving birth to a son. Thirty years later, now Empress herself, she plays a crucial role in persuading another young woman to accept the marriage proposal of her son, with tragic consequences. Based on extensive research, The Commoner is a stunning novel about a brutally rarified and controlled existence, and the complex relationship between two isolated women who are truly understood only by each other. |
| the covenant of water: At the Scent of Water J. Gerald Janzen, 2009-07-28 On the basis of a study of east wind in the Bible -- whirlwind in Job -- Janzen proposes that the prominence God gives to rain in Job 38, with its renewal of the parched earth and the ensuing vigor of all forms of life, signals God's response to Job's thirst, heals Job's bitterness, and restores him to a life at the end of which he dies contented. Janzen demonstrates how life-crippling bitterness is transcended and hope in life's worthwhileness is restored in the face of grievous evil. The resolution of the Joban question lies not in a vindication of divine justice but, rather, in God's renewal of Job's appetite for life. Janzen underscores this interpretation with a candid epilogue on his own struggle with aggressive prostate cancer, which enabled him to connect personally with Job's story and to find a fresh and illuminating grace.--From publisher description. |
| the covenant of water: Nothing But Blue Sky Kathleen MacMahon, 2020-07-30 Is there such a thing as a perfect marriage? David thought so. But when his wife Mary Rose dies suddenly he has to think again. In reliving their twenty years together David sees that the ground beneath them had shifted and he simply hadn't noticed. Or had chosen not to. Figuring out who Mary Rose really was and the secrets that she kept - some of these hidden in plain sight - makes David wonder if he really knew her. Did he even know himself? Nothing But Blue Sky is a precise and tender story of love in marriage - a gripping examination of what binds couples together and of what keeps them apart. ______________ 'Touching and enthralling' Sunday Times 'What a beautiful novel ... Elegant, understated, subtly powerful, and rings so perfectly true' Donal Ryan 'Heart-rending ... MacMahon's words ring with the honesty of truth, offering genuine insight into the human condition' Business Post 'Beautiful and moving' Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground 'Skilfully written with a wonderful lightness of touch' Irish Times 'Gentle and triumphant, MacMahon offers us a novel seeped in beautiful prose and poignant tenderness' Anne Griffin 'A beautifully written and powerful tale' Woman & Home 'A tender dissection of a marriage' Independent 'A piece of perfection ... the best book I've read all year' Irish Examiner 'Sure and subtle, MacMahon holds the reader in her spell. She is a born storyteller' Mike McCormack |
| the covenant of water: The Sun Does Shine Anthony Ray Hinton, 2018-03-29 **WINNER OF THE 2019 MOORE PRIZE ** **THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER** ‘A riveting account of the multiple outrages of the criminal justice system of Alabama. A harrowing masterpiece’ Guardian ‘Hinton somehow navigates through his rage and despair to a state of forgiveness and grace’ Independent At age 29, Anthony Ray Hinton was wrongfully charged with robbery and murder, and sentenced to death by electrocution for crimes he didn’t commit. The only thing he had in common with the perpetrator was the colour of his skin. Anthony spent the next 28 years of his life on death row, watching fellow inmates march to their deaths, knowing he would follow soon. Hinton’s incredible story reveals the injustices and inherent racism of the American legal system, but it is also testament to the hope and humanity in us all. ‘You will be swept away in this unbelievable, dramatic true story’ Oprah Winfrey |
| the covenant of water: Word, Water, and Spirit John V. Fesko, 2013-08-26 This book represents a substantial accomplishment, one that provides a useful resource for those wanting to deepen their understanding of the sacraments, particularly baptism. Reflecting a massive amount of research, against the background of an in-depth survey of various views of baptism in church history, Fesko provides an extensive exegetical and biblical-theological study of the covenantal and eschatological significance of baptism followed by systematic theological reflections on key issues like baptism as a means of grace, the efficacy of baptism, the biblical warrant for infant baptism (and against paedocommunion) and the importance of baptism for the church. One need not agree with his reflections at every point to benefit from his considerable labors. - Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Emeritus, Westminster Theological Seminary |
| the covenant of water: A Life in Medicine Robert Coles, Randy Testa, 2012-09-04 “Excellent” poetry and prose about physicians and their patients, by Raymond Carver, Kay Redfield Jamison, Rachel Naomi Remen, and more (Library Journal). A Life in Medicine collects stories, poems, and essays by and for those in the healing profession, who are struggling to keep up with the science while staying true to the humanitarian goals at the heart of their work. Organized around the central themes of altruism, knowledge, skill, and duty, the book includes contributions from well-known authors, doctors, nurses, practitioners, and patients. Provocative and moving pieces address what it means to care for a life in a century of unprecedented scientific advances, examining issues of hope and healing from both ends of the stethoscope. “An anthology of lasting appeal to those interested in medicine, well-written literature, and a sympathetic understanding of human life.” —Booklist |
| the covenant of water: Say You're One Of Them Uwem Akpan, 2010-06-03 Nothing interests Maman today, not even Jean, her favorite child ... She acts dumb, bewitched, like a goat that the neighborhood children have fed sorghum beer.' These extraordinary stories centre on African conflicts as seen through the eyes of children and describes their resilience and endurance in heartbreaking detail. From child trafficking to inter-religious conflicts, Uwem Akpan reveals in beautiful prose the resilience and endurance of children faced with the harsh consequences of deprivation and terror. |
| the covenant of water: How to Become a Water Walker Andrew Wommack, 2012-05-05 It wasn't just fate or luck that Peter walked on the water while the other apostles stayed in the boat, but why do some people walk in miracles and others don't? A fatalistic philosophy will tell you that miracles only happen if God wills them but believing that will really kill your faith!If you want to walk on water and experience... |
| the covenant of water: Telesa Lani Wendt Young, 2011 When Leila moves to Samoa, all she wants is a family, a place to belong. Instead she discovers the local ancient myths of the telesa spirit women are more than just scary stories. The more she finds out about her heritage, the more sinister her new home turns out to be. Embraced by a Covenant Sisterhood of earth's elemental guardians - what will Leila choose? Her fiery birthright as a telesa? Or will she choose the boy who offers her his heart? Daniel - stamped with the distinctive tattoo markings of a noble Pacific warrior and willing to risk everything for the chance to be with her. Can their love stand against the Covenant Keeper? A thriller-romance with a difference. If you enjoyed Twilight, then you will be enthralled by Telesa as it blends the richness of Pacific mythology into a contemporary young adult love story that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page. |
| the covenant of water: The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, 2021-08-24 THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER AN OPRAH BOOK CLUB PICK ‘Deeply moving’ Sarah Winman, author of Still Life ‘Remarkable’ Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish) ‘A sweeping epic ... Outstanding’ Daily Mail |
| the covenant of water: Narrative Matters Jessica Bylander, 2020-03-03 Drawn from the popular Narrative Matters column in the journal Health Affairs, these essays embody a vision for a health care system that centers the humanity of patients and doctors alike. Health care decision making affects patients and families first and foremost, yet their perspectives are not always factored into health policy deliberations and discussions. In this anthology, Jessica Bylander brings together the personal stories of the patients, physicians, caregivers, policy makers, and others whose writings add much-needed human context to health care decision making. Drawn from the popular Narrative Matters column in the leading health policy journal Health Affairs, this collection features essays by some of the leading minds in health care today, including Pulitzer Prize–winner Siddhartha Mukherjee, MacArthur fellow Diane Meier, former Planned Parenthood president Leana S. Wen, and former secretary of health and human services Louis W. Sullivan. The collection also presents important stories from lesser-known voices, including a transgender doctor in Oklahoma who calls for better treatment of trans patients and a palliative care physician who reflects on how perspectives on hastening death have changed in recent years. A foreword written by National Humanities Medal recipient Abraham Verghese, MD, further rounds out the book. The collection of thirty-two essays is organized around several themes: • the practice of medicine • medical innovation and research • patient-centered care • the doctor-patient relationship • disparities and discrimination • aging and end-of-life care • maternity and childbirth • opioids and substance abuse Contributors: Louise Aronson, Laura Arrowsmith, Cheryl Bettigole, Cindy Brach, Gary Epstein-Lubow, Jonathan Friedlaender, Patricia Gabow, Katti Gray, Yasmin Sokkar Harker, Timothy Hoff, Carla Keirns, Raya Elfadel Kheirbek, Katy B. Kozhimannil, Pooja Lagisetty, Maria Maldonado, Maureen A. Mavrinac, Diane E. Meier, Dina Keller Moss, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Donna Jackson Nakazawa, Travis N. Rieder, Aroonsiri Sangarlangkarn, Elaine Schattner, Janice Lynch Schuster, Myrick C. Shinall, Gayathri Subramanian, Louis W. Sullivan, Gautham K. Suresh, Abraham Verghese, Otis Warren, Leana S. Wen, Charlotte Yeh |
| the covenant of water: When Water Burns Lani Wendt Young, 2018 Maybe you're not meant to manipulate fire the way I do. Maybe sparks are all you're ever going to make.He snarled, Or maybe you just need to be a better teacher and give me more. Before I could reply, he grabbed my hand, twisted and pulled me into a restraining lock. Body pressed against my back, he held me in a chokehold. I struggled. Kicked. Fought. Pain knifed me as I tried to free myself. He spoke and his breath was hot in my ear. Now, fire goddess let's see if I can make more than sparks. Rising panic choked me, with it came rage. And with rage, came fire. Keahi felt it. He laughed as I strained against him. As together we both burst into flame...At the close of Book One, Telesa the Covenant Keeper - Leila and Daniel are finally able to love without fear of retribution. Or are they? As a malicious telesa plots her revenge, a mysterious stranger arrives on the island. Fuelled by hate and running from a fiery past, he looks to Leila for answers and she must fight to contain the fury of fanua-afi while trying to protect all those she loves. It seems that this is a battle she must wage alone, for Daniel's ocean birthright cannot be denied and he refuses to walk beside her. Are Leila and Daniel destined to be forever divided by the elements? When it comes to Water and Fire, daughter of earth and son of the ocean - who will endure? When water burns?This is the second book in the Telesa Trilogy and follows on from book one, 'Telesa: The Covenant Keeper.' |
| the covenant of water: Castle of Water Dane Huckelbridge, 2017-04-04 Home is where the heart is |
| the covenant of water: Wild Abandon Emily Bitto, 2021-09-28 A breathtaking new novel from the Stella Prize-winning author of The Strays. In the fall of 2011, a heartbroken young man flees Australia for the USA. Landing in the excessive, uncanny-familiar glamour and plenitude of New York City, Will makes a vow to say yes to everything that comes his way. By fate or random chance, Will's journey takes him deep into the American heartland where he meets Wayne Gage, a fast-living, troubled Vietnam veteran, would-be spirit guide and collector of exotic animals. These two men in crisis form an unlikely friendship, but Will has no idea just how close to the edge Wayne truly is. Wild Abandon is a headlong tumble through the falling world of end-days capitalism, a haunting, hyperreal snapshot of our own strange times. We read with increasing horror and denial as we approach the cataclysmic conclusion of Will's American odyssey, dreading what is galloping towards us, but utterly unable to look away. This lyrical and devastating new novel from the Stella Prize-winning author of The Strays offers us startling and profound visions of the world and our place in it. 'Thrilling and heartbreaking by turns-a glorious novel.' Michelle de Kretser 'Wild Abandon made me fall in love with fiction again . . . Only a superlative can do it justice: this is a great novel.' Christos Tsiolkas 'What a fearless talent . . . and what an exhilarating novel.' Malcolm Knox |
| the covenant of water: Blue Future Maude Barlow, 2011-05-10 Water is a human right: “A rousing case for what will be one of the key environmental challenges of the twenty-first century.” —Booklist The United Nations has recognized access to water as a basic human right—but there is still much work to be done to stem this growing environmental crisis. In this book, water activist Maude Barlow draws on her extensive experience to lay out a set of key principles that show the way forward to what she calls a “water-secure and water-just world.” Not only does she reveal the powerful players even now impeding the recognition of the human right to water, she argues that water must not become a commodity to be bought and sold on the open market. Focusing on solutions, she includes stories of struggle and resistance from marginalized communities, as well as government policies that work for both people and the planet. At a time when climate change has moved to the top of the national agenda and the stage is being set for unprecedented drought, mass starvation, and the migration of millions of refugees in search of water, Blue Future is an urgent call to preserve our most valuable resource for generations to come. “In a book as clear as a pristine mountain stream, Maude Barlow lays out a practical and inspiring vision for how we can defend water—the source of all life—from the forces of death.” —Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine |
| the covenant of water: Hokitika Town Charlotte Randall, 2011-05-26 I always been a coin boy . . .' Hokitika, 1865, at the height of the Gold Rush. In a town with a hundred pubs, young Halfie ? aka Harvey, Thumbsucker, Bedwetter, Cocoa and Pipsqueak ? gets by as best he can. Most of the time he hangs around the Bathsheba pub, washing dishes, running errands and making the odd coin ? and observing from close quarters the parade of miners, dancing girls, petty crims and plain drunks that passes through the doors. When you're a coin boy you see a lot of life, and from low down. But how much do you really understand? What's going on in young Halfie's world? In this beguiling new novel by the author of The Curative, a rattling good yarn reveals that life is rarely what it seems. 'Among our contemporary writers of adult fiction, only Elizabeth Knox can match Charlotte Randall for the sheer scope of her imagination.'?New Zealand Listener |
| the covenant of water: Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides, 2003-09-01 Winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction: the dazzling international bestseller from the author of The Virgin Suicides . a rollicking family epic like no other! |
| the covenant of water: The New York Times Book of Medicine Gina Kolata, 2015-04-21 Today we live longer, healthier lives than ever before in history—a transformation due almost entirely to tremendous advances in medicine. This change is so profound, with many major illnesses nearly wiped out, that its hard now to imagine what the world was like in 1851, when the New York Times began publishing. Treatments for depression, blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, and diabetes came later; antibiotics were nonexistent, viruses unheard of, and no one realized yet that DNA carried blueprints for life or the importance of stem cells. Edited by award-winning writer Gina Kolata, this eye-opening collection of 150 articles from the New York Times archive charts the developing scientific insights and breakthroughs into diagnosing and treating conditions like typhoid, tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimers, and AIDS, and chronicles the struggles to treat mental illness and the enormous success of vaccines. It also reveals medical mistakes, lapses in ethics, and wrong paths taken in hopes of curing disease. Every illness, every landmark has a tale, and the newspapers top reporters tell each one with perceptiveness and skill. |
| the covenant of water: Reservation Road John Burnham Schwartz, 2012-03-08 At the close of a beautiful summer day near the quiet Connecticut town where they live, the Learner family - Ethan and Grace, their children, Josh and Emma - stop at a gas station on their way home from a concert. Josh Learner, lost in a ten-year-old's private world, is standing at the edge of the road when a car comes racing around the bend. He is hit and instantly killed. The car speeds away. From this moment forward, Reservation Road becomes a harrowing countdown to the confrontation between two very different men. The hit-and-run driver is a small-town lawyer named Dwight Arno, a man in desperate need of a second chance. Dwight is also the father of a ten-year-old boy, who was asleep in the car the night Josh Learner was killed. In a gripping narrative woven from the voices of Ethan, Dwight, and Grace, Reservation Road tells the story of two ordinary families facing an extraordinary crisis--a book that reads like a thriller but opens up a world rich with psychological nuance and emotional wisdom. Reservation Road explores the terrain of grief even as it astonishes with unexpected redemption: powerful and wrenching and impossible to put down. |
| the covenant of water: The Covenant of the Flame David Morrell, 2011-11-23 Reporter Tess Drake discovers a mysterious altar in the apartment of a friend whose charred body was discovered in a nearby park. The meaning of that altar propels Tess on a furious hunt for the truth about what happened to her friend, a labyrinth of intrigue and danger that leads to the highest levels of power as well as to the depths of a secret cave in Spain. Less From the master of high action comes a novel of deception and intrigue that paved the way for the history-based religious thrillers of Dan Brown, Steve Berry, and James Rollins. In 1244, at the infamous fortress of Montségur in southwestern France, Christian Inquisitors massacred the last vestige of a heresy known as Mithraism, once the dominant religion of the Roman Empire. But was the heresy in fact destroyed? In today’s New York City, reporter Tess Drake discovers a mysterious altar in the apartment of a friend whose charred body was discovered in a nearby park. The altar (a version of it exists in the British Museum) depicts a man astride a bull, plunging a knife into its neck while a dog, a scorpion, and a snake drink the blood. The meaning of that altar propels Tess on a furious hunt for the truth about what happened to her friend, a labyrinth of intrigue and danger that leads to the highest levels of power as well as to the depths of a secret cave in Spain. This special e-version of THE COVENANT OF THE FLAME has a revised text and an introduction in which David Morrell describes the unusual personal events that prompted him to write this novel. “A mega-thriller by any standard” —Associated Press “David Morrell is, to me, the finest thriller writer living today, bar none.” —Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Jefferson Key “A master storyteller” —James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Colony |
| the covenant of water: Revelation , 1999-01-01 The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the Beast will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self. |
| the covenant of water: Silence Kills Lee Gutkind, 2007 The dozen personal essays in this collection, from patients and their caregivers, nurses, social workers, and physicians, address the devastating human results that can occur from a lack of communication and understanding among those in the health care profession. Medical error--much of it traceable to simple lack of communication--costs billions of dollars each year, in addition to the less quantifiable costs of the loss of trust in doctor-patient relationships and the decline in morale among health care professionals. These powerful stories illustrate the need to find ways to break these potentially lethal silences. In Mrs. Kelly, a doctor obeying his superior's order sends a man home from the emergency room against his better judgment, agonizes over his decision, and later calls the man's widow to apologize. In In Praise of Osmosis, a critical-care nurse pressures a hospital's hierarchy to authorize the continuous renal replacement therapy her patient needs to prevent imminent and irreversible damage to his kidneys. In You Have the Right to Remain Silent, an inmate's sister must fight her way through miles of red tape to get treatment for the Hepatitis-C her brother contracted in prison. Inspired by groundbreaking research by VitalSmarts, a global leader in organizational performance and leadership, and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), and supported by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Lee Gutkind, editor of the journal Creative Nonfiction, has collected the essays in this volume--with the hope that these voices, speaking out, taking action and risks, will inspire others to make changes that will improve communication within our troubled health caresystem. |
| the covenant of water: The Tomo Mary-Anne Scott, 2021 I'm too busy to babysit, so I hope you and that mongrel are up for the job. Phil, and his father's beloved heading dog, Blue, have to spend the Christmas break working on a sheep station while Phil's dad undergoes out-of-town, cancer treatment. The station manager, Chopper, isn't happy having a teenager in his care and certainly not a sheepdog that doesn't understand his signals. Things start to improve for Phil when Chopper's step-daughter, Emara arrives back from holiday, but a wayward ram and a poor decision plummets both boy and dog into danger. Phil will need all the strength he's got to get out alive. |
| the covenant of water: The Second Life of Mirielle West Amanda Skenandore, 2021-07-27 The glamorous world of a silent film star’s wife abruptly crumbles when she’s forcibly quarantined at the Carville Lepers Home in this page-turning story of courage, resilience, and reinvention set in 1920s Louisiana and Los Angeles. Based on little-known history, this timely book will strike a chord with readers of Fiona Davis, Tracey Lange, and Marie Benedict. Based on the true story of America’s only leper colony, The Second Life of Mirielle West brings vividly to life the Louisiana institution known as Carville, where thousands of people were stripped of their civil rights, branded as lepers, and forcibly quarantined throughout the entire 20th century. For Mirielle West, a 1920’s socialite married to a silent film star, the isolation and powerlessness of the Louisiana Leper Home is an unimaginable fall from her intoxicatingly chic life of bootlegged champagne and the star-studded parties of Hollywood’s Golden Age. When a doctor notices a pale patch of skin on her hand, she’s immediately branded a leper and carted hundreds of miles from home to Carville, taking a new name to spare her family and famous husband the shame that accompanies the disease. At first she hopes her exile will be brief, but those sent to Carville are more prisoners than patients and their disease has no cure. Instead she must find community and purpose within its walls, struggling to redefine her self-worth while fighting an unchosen fate. As a registered nurse, Amanda Skenandore’s medical background adds layers of detail and authenticity to the experiences of patients and medical professionals at Carville – the isolation, stigma, experimental treatments, and disparate community. A tale of repulsion, resilience, and the Roaring ‘20s, The Second Life of Mirielle West is also the story of a health crisis in America’s past, made all the more poignant by the author’s experiences during another, all-too-recent crisis. PRAISE FOR AMANDA SKENANDORE’S BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY “Intensely emotional…Skenandore’s deeply introspective and moving novel will appeal to readers of American history.” —Publishers Weekly |
| the covenant of water: The Captive Wife Fiona Kidman, 2010-05-01 Based on real events, this prize-winning novel is the compelling story of a marriage, of love and duty, and the quest for freedom in a pioneering age. When Betty Guard steps ashore in Sydney, in 1834, she meets with a heroine's welcome. Her survival during a four-month kidnapping ordeal amongst Taranaki Maori is hailed as nothing short of a miracle. But questions about what really happened slowly surface within the élite governing circles of the raw new town of Sydney. Jacky Guard, ex-convict turned whaler, had taken Betty as his wife to his New Zealand whaling station when she was fourteen. After several years and two children, the family is returning from a visit to Sydney when their barque is wrecked near Mount Taranaki. A battle with local Maori follows, and Betty and her children are captured. Her husband goes to seek a ransom, but instead England engages in its first armed conflict with New Zealand Maori when he is persuaded to return with two naval ships. After her violent rescue, Betty's life amongst the tribe comes under intense scrutiny. |
| the covenant of water: The Covenant of the Wild Stephen Budiansky, 1992 Animal rights extremists argue that eating meat is murder and that pets are slaves. This compelling reappraisal of the human-animal bond, however, shows that domestication of animals is not an act of exploitation but a brilliantly successful evolutionary strategy that has benefited humans and animals alike. |
| the covenant of water: Baptism David F. Wright, 2009-11-16 In Baptism: Three Views, editor David F. Wright has provided a forum for thoughtful proponents of three principal evangelical views on baptism to state their case, respond to the others, and then provide a summary response and statement. Sinclair Ferguson sets out the case for infant baptism, Bruce Ware presents the case for believers' baptism, and Anthony Lane argues for a mixed practice. |
| the covenant of water: Bewilderment Richard Powers, 2024-09-04 THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022 FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR ‘Extraordinary’ New York Times ‘Remarkable’ Observer ‘Heartfelt’ Guardian Theo Byrne is a promising young scientist who has found a way to search for life on other planets dozens of light years away. He is also the widowed father of a most unusual nine-year-old. His son Robin is funny, loving and filled with plans. He thinks and feels deeply, adores animals and can spend hours painting elaborate pictures. But after a violent outburst from Robin at school, the strength of their close bond will be tested to its limits... What can a father do, when those around him refuse to understand his rare and troubled child? And how can he reveal to his boy the truth about our beautiful, bewildered world? |
| the covenant of water: Mr Peacock's Possessions Lydia Syson, 2018-05-17 An intimate, intense and beautifully realised novel of possession, power and the liberating loss of innocence, this will delight fans of MISTER PIP and THE POISONWOOD BIBLE. Oceania, 1879. For two years the Peacocks, a determined family of settlers, have struggled to make a remote volcanic island their home. At last, a ship appears. The six Pacific Islanders on board have travelled over eight hundred miles in search of new horizons. Hopes are high, until a vulnerable boy vanishes. In their search for the lost child, settlers and newcomers together uncover far more than they were looking for. The island's secrets force young Lizzie Peacock to question her deepest convictions, and slowly this tiny, fragile community begins to fracture . . . 'Intelligent, beautifully written' The Times 'Historical fiction fans, meet your new favourite author' Stella Magazine 'Beautifully written, immaculately researched and powerfully imagined' Lancashire Evening Post |
| the covenant of water: The Water Is Wide Pat Conroy, 2022-12-20 “A powerfully moving book . . . You will laugh, you will weep, you will be proud and you will rail.” —Charleston News and Courier Yamacraw Island was haunting, nearly deserted, and beautiful. Separated from the mainland of South Carolina by a wide tidal river, it was accessible only by boat. But for the handful of families that lived on Yamacraw, America was a world away. For years these families lived proudly from the sea until waste from industry destroyed the oyster beds essential to their very existence. Already poor, they knew they would have to face an uncertain future unless, somehow, they learned a new life. But they needed someone to teach them, and their rundown schoolhouse had no teacher. The Water Is Wide is Pat Conroy’s extraordinary memoir based on his experience as one of two teachers in a two-room schoolhouse, working with children the world had pretty much forgotten. It was a year that changed his life, and one that introduced a group of poor Black children to a world they did not know existed. “A hell of a good story.” —The New York Times “[Pat] Conroy cuts through his experiences with a sharp edge of irony. . . . He brings emotion, writing talent and anger to his story.” —Baltimore Sun |
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