Highway Robbery

The rider sprang off as light as a cat and pulled the reins over the horse's head. Then he marched straight over to me and put them into my hand. "Hold the mare for me, lad. And when I come back, I'll give you a golden guinea." A dark stranger leaves his magnificent horse in the care of a boy he's never met. As dusk falls, others offer to pay the boy handsomely for the animal. Then soldiers arrive, demanding to know where the horse's owner has gone. Could the stranger be the notorious Dick Turpin, known for his daring holdups and amazing exploits? Is the horse the legendary Black Bess? And will the boy ever see the reward he's been promised? There's mischief in the air, but it isn't entirely clear who's causing it.

the Rider Sprang Off As Light As A Cat And Pulled The Reins Over The Horse's Head. Then He Marched Straight Over To Me And Put Them Into My Hand.

hold The Mare For Me, Lad. And When I Came Back, I'll Give You A Golden Guinea.

a Dark Stranger Leaves His Magnificent Horse In The Care Of A Boy He's Never Met. As Dusk Falls, Others Offer To Pay The Boy Handsomely For The Animal. Then Soldiers Arrive, Demanding To Know Where The Horse's Owner Has Gone.

could The Stranger Be The Notorious Dick Turpin, Known For His Daring Holdups And Amazing Exploits? Is The Horse The Legendary Black Bess? And Will The Boy Ever See The Reward He's Been Promised?

there's Mischeief In The Air, But It Isn't Entirely Clear Who's Causing It.

publishers Weekly

a Young Beggar Recalls The Momentous Night He Happened To Be In The Right Place When A Stranger Galloped Into Town, Promising A Gold Coin If The Boy Would Watch His Horse Until He Returned. The Unnamed Narrator Has His Loyalty Tested Repeatedly As Passersby Can't Help Being Intrigued By The Incongruous Pair-barefoot Urchin And Glorious Steed (i Had Never In My Life Been Offered So Much Money By So Many People, And Yet I Still Hadn't Seen A Penny Of It). Finally, The King's Men Arrive, Announcing That The Horse, Black Bess, Belongs To The Infamous Highwayman Dick Turpin. Now What? Staying With The Horse Will Surely Lead To Turpin's Arrest. Thompson (the New Policeman) Frames The Story As A Sale-after Turpin Is Arrested Elsewhere, The Boy Tries To Sell The Horse-and In Doing So, She Introduces A Host Of Ambiguities. Was The Boy As True To Turpin As He Said? Is The Horse Really Black Bess? It's A Suspenseful And Tautly Written Story As Is, And Thompson's Sly Twist Makes It All The Richer. Ages 10-up. (june)

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When a young boy agrees to watch a stranger’s fine horse for a golden guinea—more money that the boy has ever seen—he has no idea what he’s gotten himself into. Shady characters who see the mare as an easy profit happen by the desolate street. And then the king’s guard appears, hot on the trail of an infamous highwayman—the boy’s hero. The mare is horse royalty, and much to the boy’s dismay, he’s to be bait for the highwayman. The night stretches long and cold, and the boy struggles with his conscience. Can he warn the highwayman of the trap? Can he keep the horse safe? It all ends with a wild ride out of town, the boy and the mare fleeing the soldiers. Or so the boy says, now that he’s trying to sell us the mare. Just who is robbing who? This title offers user-friendly guidance for the millions of people attempting to strike the right balance with computers, mobile phones, blackberrys and ipods. Having traded face-to-face contact for the rush of online communication, technology speaks to, but never quite fulfills, a profound need for connection-in ways that are addictive, but not ultimately satisfying. Worse, utilising such technologies becomes a compulsive action, rather than a creative process-and the resultant stress is likely to impede the very multi-tasking and efficiency that the technology was meant to inspire. Gordhamer brings the wisdom of Eastern meditative practice to calm the frantic anxiety produced by our Western high-speed technoculture From Online to OmReuters recently reported that Americans are willing to go longer without friends and sex than the Internet. We spend more time on our computers, BlackBerrys, cell phones, and iPods than we do with each other or with ourselves. Using these technologies becomes a compulsive action rather than a creative process, and instead of increasing our productivity, the multitasking is stressing us out! In Wisdom 2.0, Soren Gordhamer offers sound guidance to the millions of people trying to find the right balance between using technology and staying human. Humorous and fun, Wisdom 2.0 provides effective, time-tested tools for reducing stress and nurturing creativity in a technology-saturated universe.

Technology is not the answer. It is also not the problem. What matters instead? Awareness, Engagement, and Wisdom.

Wisdom 2.0 addresses the challenge of our age:to not only live connected to one another through technology,but to do so in ways that are beneficial, effective, and useful.

On a cold day in eightheenth-century England, a poor young boy agrees to watch a stranger's fine horse for a golden guinea but soon finds himself in a difficult situation when the king's guard appears and wants to use him as bait in their pursuit of a notorious highwayman.