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My Season of Scandal: The Palace of Rogues (The Palace of Rogues #7)
by Julie Anne LongIn USA Today bestselling author Julie Anne Long’s latest installment in the Palace of Rogues series, a notorious rake meets his match in a lovely girl from the country, changing the course of both of their futures…A London season is the chance of a lifetime for Catherine Keating. But the ton’s glitter and decadence and casual cruelty threaten to crush her hopes of finding a husband before her season even begins...until she accidentally acquires one of the most scandalous men in England as a secret chaperone.Famously fiery Lord Dominic Kirke can hold the House of Commons—and any woman he chooses— in thrall. But when his house goes up in flames in the dead of night, he finds himself at the Grand Palace on the Thames. And there he discovers his cynical armor is no match for another guest: an innocent country girl with a crackling wit and eyes like a summer sky.He's maddening, elusive, hopelessly charismatic, wrong in every way—perfectly designed to break her heart. But she doesn't know she holds his battered heart in her hands. And though it will destroy him, Dominic knows loving her means setting Catherine free for the life—and man—she deserves.
The Last Word: A Novel
by Elly GriffithsWords turn deadly with an unlikely detective duo on the case of a murdered obituary writer in this literary mystery from the internationally bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway series. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman and the Thursday Murder Club. Natalka and Edwin are perfect if improbable partners in a detective agency. At eighty-four, Edwin regularly claims that he’s the oldest detective in England. He is a master at surveillance, deploying his age as a cloak of invisibility. Natalka, Ukrainian-born and more than fifty years his junior, is a math whizz, who takes any cases concerning fraud or deception. Despite a steady stream of minor cases, Natalka is frustrated. She loves a murder, as she’s fond of saying, and none have come the agency’s way. That is until local writer Melody Chambers dies.Melody’s daughters are convinced that their mother was murdered. Edwin thinks that Melody’s death is linked to that of an obituary writer who predeceased many of his subjects. Edwin and Benedict go undercover to investigate and are on a creative writing weekend at isolated Battle House when another murder occurs. Are the cases linked and what is the role of a distinctly sinister book group attended by many of writers involved? By the time Edwin has infiltrated the group, he is in serious danger…Seeking professional help, the investigators turn to their friend, detective Harbinder Kaur, and find that they have stumbled on a plot that is stranger than fiction.
Zombie Train
by David Macinnis GillThe Zombie Chasers meets The Goonies in David Macinnis Gill’s middle grade debut about a group of tweens who ride out the zombie apocalypse on a cobbled-together train. Fans of Ty Drago’s The Undertakers: Rise of the Corpses and Max Brallier’s The Last Kids on Earth will lose themselves in this page-turning, spine-chilling, and sometimes goofy survival story.Wyatt has been riding out the zombie apocalypse on his crew’s cobbled-together train for what feels like forever. It’s a hopeless journey, the train running a loop that covers thousands of miles across the western U.S. But when a mysterious girl arrives with stories of a so-called Nirvana and a potential cure for the zombie parasite, Wyatt must decide between searching for the cure and protecting those entrusted in his care.David Macinnis Gill’s Zombie Train is a compelling survival story full of action, suspense, and plenty of zombies. Filled with both harrowing and humorous moments, Zombie Train follows an eccentric cast of characters as they contend with a changing world and shifting loyalties and friendships, and as they fight to remain in control—of their lives and of the future.
Dragon Rider: A Novel (The Soulbound Saga #1)
by Taran MatharuNew York Times bestselling author Taran Matharu’s debut adult fantasy series introduces an immersive story written in the tradition of the viral cultivation genre. Discover a rich world of magic, warriors, and dragons, in which a fearless orphan and an ambitious handmaiden flee from the empire that would imprison them, with a dream to return to their homelands and a determination that’s unbreakable… Can an orphan captive learn the secrets of the Dragon Riders to stand up and avenge his people?Jai lives as a royal hostage in the Sabine Court—ever since his father Rohan, leader of the Steppefolk, led a failed rebellion and was executed by the very emperor Jai now serves.When the emperor’s son and heir is betrothed to Princess Erica of the neighboring Dansk Kingdom, she brings with her a dowry: dragons. Endemic to the northern nation, these powerful beasts come in several forms, but mystery surrounds them. Only Dansk royalty know the secret to soulbonding with these dangerous beasts to draw on their power and strength. This marriage—and the alliance that forms—will change that forever.But conspirators lurk in the shadows, and soon the Sabine Court is in chaos. With his life in danger, Jai uses the opportunity to escape with the Dansk handmaiden, Frida, and a stolen hatchling. Hunted at every turn, he must learn to cultivate magic and become a soulbound warrior if he has any chance of finding safety, seizing his destiny…and seeking his revenge.
Dark Parts of the Universe
by Samuel MillerOuter Banks meets Bone Gap in New York Times bestselling author Samuel Miller’s propulsive and genre-bending YA mystery, following a group of teenagers who discover a dead body while playing an app-based adventure game that sends players to “random” locations, unlocking a much deeper mystery about their small town. In Calico Springs, Willie’s life has been defined by two powerful forces: God and the river. The “miracle boy” died for five minutes as a young child, and ever since, Willie is certain he survived for a reason, but that purpose didn’t become clear until he found the Game.The Game is called Manifest Atlas, and the concept is simple: enter an intention and the Game provides a target—a blinking blue dot on the map. Willie’s second time playing Manifest Atlas, his intention takes him to an ominous target: three empty graves. Willie is sure the Game is telling him he’s going to die.Willie’s older brother, Bones, doesn’t believe him, but their friends are intrigued. Sarai, a girl from across the river, sets the next intention: something bloody. The group follows the Game’s coordinates and they discover something even more unsettling than the graves: a dead body. Sarai’s stepfather’s body. The Game is suddenly personal.Willie is dedicated to proving the Game works while Sarai is set on finding out what happened to her stepdad. Bones just wants to enjoy his last summer before real life begins. As the group digs deeper into Manifest Atlas, stranger and wilder things begin to appear, unlocking a much deeper mystery running like an undercurrent through the small town.
Bad Habit: A Novel
by Alana S. Portero"I urge you, read Alana S. Portero's Bad Habit to fully grasp the degree of adversity, pain, and danger endured by those growing-up trans." –Pedro Almodóvar"Raw, unapologetic, and ingenious in its expressions of pain, Bad Habit bravely bares the scars of being queer in an unaccepting society while illuminating unexpected pockets of hope and tenderness." –BooklistCombining the raw realism and vulnerability of Shuggie Bain and Detransition, Baby with the poignant sensibility of Pedro Almodóvar, a staggering coming-of-age novel deeply rooted in the struggles of a trans woman growing up in Madrid.Anchored by the voice of its sweet and defiant narrator, Bad Habit casts a trans woman’s trying youth as a heartfelt odyssey. Raised in an animated yet impoverished blue-collar neighborhood, Alana S. Portero’s protagonist struggles to find her place. As the city around her changes–the heroin epidemic that ravages Madrid through the '80s and '90s, rallying calls of worker solidarity and the pulsing beat of the city's night scene– she becomes increasingly detached from the world and, most crucially, herself.Yet through her eyes, the streets and people of Madrid are illuminated by a poetry absent from everyday life. And by this guiding light she begins to plot her own course, from Margarita, the local trans woman whose unspoken kinship both captivates and frightens her, to Jay, her first love and source of an inevitable heartbreak, to the irrepressible diva Caramel. As she forges ahead, she sets her compass to a personal north star: endeavoring to find herself. But with each step forward, she is confronted by a violence she doesn’t yet know how to counter; in this exciting, often terrifying, world each choice is truly a matter of life and death. With her first novel, Alana S. Portero strikingly underscores the ties between gender and class, the search for identity, and the power of sisterhood and community. Gentle but blistering, Bad Habit is a mesmerizing story of self-realization that speaks to the outsider in all of us. Translated from the Spanish by Mara Faye Lethem
Sweetness in the Skin: A Novel
by Ishi RobinsonA delicious debut novel about a young Jamaican girl who tries to bake her way to a better life in France. Pumkin Patterson lives in a tiny two-room house in Kingston, Jamaica, with her grandmother, who wants to improve the family’s social standing; her Aunt Sophie, who wants to take Pumkin with her to a new life in Paris; and her mother, Paulette, who wants to keep her at home out of spite.When Aunt Sophie decides to move to France for work, she promises to send for her niece in one year’s time. All Pumkin has to do is pass her French entrance exam so she can attend school there. But when Pumkin’s grandmother dies—the household’s fortunes take a turn for the worse.Somehow, Pumkin must find a way to raise the money to take her French exam. In a moment of ingenuity, she decides to turn her passion for baking into a true business. Selling batches of sweet-potato pudding, coconut drops and chocolate cakes, Pumkin begins raising the money she needs. But when her mother finds out that Pumkin wants to leave, she does all she can to sabotage her daughter’s plans.Sweetness in the Skin is a funny and heartbreaking story about a young girl figuring out who she is, what she is capable of—and where she truly belongs.
A Little Bit Super: With Small Powers Come Big Problems
by Gary D. Schmidt Leah Henderson Pablo Cartaya Nikki Grimes Jarrett J. Krosoczka Remy Lai Kyle Lukoff Meg Medina Daniel Nayeri Linda Sue Park Mitali Perkins Pam Muñoz Ryan Brian Young Ibi ZoboiIn these hilarious stories by some of the top authors of middle grade fiction today, each young character is coping with a minor superpower—while also discovering their power to change themselves and their community, find their voice, and celebrate what makes them unique.The kids in these humorous short stories each have a minor superpower they’re learning to live with. One can shape-shift—but only part of her body, and only on Mondays. Another can always tell whether an avocado is perfectly ripe. One can even hear the thoughts of the animals in the pet store! But what these stories are really about is their young protagonists “owning” a power that contributes to their individuality, that allows them to find their place in the world, that shows them a potential they might not have imagined.Because if you really think about it, we all have something special and unique about ourselves that makes us a little bit super. We all have the power to change as an individual, to change our communities for the better, to have a voice and to speak up. These playful, thought-provoking tales from some of today’s top middle grade authors prompt readers to consider what their own superpower might be, and how they can use it.Written by Pablo Cartaya, Nikki Grimes, Leah Henderson, Jarrett Krosoczka, Remy Lai, Kyle Lukoff, Meg Medina, Daniel Nayeri, Linda Sue Park, Mitali Perkins, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Gary D. Schmidt, Brian Young, and Ibi Zoboi; coedited by Leah Henderson and Gary D. Schmidt.
On the Art of the Craft: A Guidebook to Collaborative Storytelling
by Girls Write NowA writing companion, inspirational guide to the craft, and anthology featuring interactive multi-genre work from the acclaimed organization on its twenty-fifth anniversary.We all have stories to tell, but not everyone gets the mentoring and training or encouragement to become a great storyteller. Founded a quarter century ago, Girls Write Now has empowered young women and gender-expansive youth to harness their creative talents, gaining confidence, skills, and a community supporting them in sharing stories the world needs to hear.This hands-on guide—conceived of and written and edited by the young people of Girls Write Now—draws from the organization’s dynamic curriculum and the writers’ own personal experiences spanning decades. It offers aspiring writers the tools they need to develop their craft—including tips, insight, and advice on the writing and publishing process as well as critical thinking about the future of storytelling.With this handbook, readers everywhere can equip themselves to shape their life stories, and become the writers and leaders they dream of being.
Observing Dark Innovation: After Neoliberal Tools and Techniques
by Ryan T. MacNeilWhy does scholarship on innovation fixate on certain classes of technology? Could our research tools and techniques be concealing as much as they reveal? Ryan T. MacNeil shows how the common instrumentalities of innovation research carry neoliberal market biases. He calls for critical scholars to examine how we observe and understand innovation, offering ways forward to deconstruct and reform disciplinary conventions. This book makes a valuable contribution to critical management and science and technology studies by shedding light on the ‘dark matter’ of innovation. This will be an important resource for scholars and practitioners interested in disruptive ideas about innovation.
Spycops: Secrets and Disclosure in the Undercover Policing Inquiry
by Raphael SchlembachThe ‘spycops’ scandal has laid bare the existence of secretive police units that sent undercover police officers to infiltrate and undermine hundreds of political campaigns and activist groups. This is the first academic analysis of the activists’ experiences and their attempts to find answers and accountability in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Written from the perspective of the ‘policed’, the author draws on extensive fieldwork and his first-hand experience of police infiltration through his participation in climate campaigns.
Racial Justice and the Limits of Law
by Bharat MalkaniRacial justice is never far from the headlines. The Windrush Scandal, the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston and racism within the police have all recently captured the public’s attention and generated legal action. But, although the ideals of the legal system such as fairness and equality, seem allied to the struggle for racial justice, all too often campaigners have been let down by the system. This book examines law’s troubled relationship with racial justice. It explains that law’s historical role in creating and perpetuating racial injustices continues to stifle its ability to advance the cause of racial justice today. Both a lawyer’s guide to anti-racism and an anti-racist’s guide to legal action, it unites these perspectives to help both groups understand how to use the law to tackle racial injustices.
Biographical Research and New Social Architectures: Challenges and Opportunities for Creative Applications across Europe (Advances in Biographical Research)
by Tamsin Barber Ciara Bradley Andre Epp Jakub Gałęziowski Sónia Bernardo Correia Magda Nico Anabela Pereira Ana Caetano Lynsey Kavanagh Kateřina Sidiropulu-Janků Jerzy Stachowiak Fabienne Seifert Oksana Žabko Diana YehThis volume focuses on the place of biographical research in shaping social futures and its creative applications in the new unprecedented societal circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Written by experienced and early career biographical researchers, it demonstrates how biographical research responds to the new ‘social architecture’: theoretically, empirically and analytically.
Photovoice Reimagined (Creative Research Methods in Practice)
by Nicole BrownOver the past decades, ‘photovoice’ has emerged as a participatory and creative research method in which participants capture and discuss their reality through photographs. This indispensable ‘how-to’ book with exercises and visual aids takes novice and veteran researchers through the practicalities and ethics of applying this approach. Written by experienced teacher Nicole Brown, the book: - outlines the conceptual foundations and historical development of the approach; - redefines photovoice as a research method and as a framework; - explores how photovoice can be used in all stages of research from data collection to dissemination; - provides guidance and food for thought to get researchers started on their project. Each chapter ends with exercises that focus readers' learning and understanding by practically engaging them in the work presented throughout. The examples and visual aids will help them recognise all the details presented and represented in a photograph. For researchers who would like to try their hand at photovoice as a method or as a framework to foster a more participatory approach, this is the ultimate guide to kickstart their project.
Mid-Air
by Alicia D. WilliamsA tender-souled boy reeling from the death of his best friend struggles to fit into a world that wants him to grow up tough and unfeeling in this stunning middle grade novel in verse from the Newbery Honor–winning author of Genesis Begins Again.It&’s the last few months of eighth grade, and Isaiah feels lost. He thought his summer was going to be him and his boys Drew and Darius, hanging out, doing wheelies, watching martial arts movies, and breaking tons of Guiness World Records before high school. But now, more and more, Drew seems to be fading from their friendship, and though he won&’t admit it, Isaiah knows exactly why. Because Darius is…gone. A hit and run killed Darius in the midst of a record-breaking long wheelie when Isaiah should have been keeping watch, ready to warn: &“CAR!&” Now, Drew can barely look at Isaiah. But Isaiah, already quaking with ache and guilt, can&’t lose two friends. So, he comes up with a plan to keep Drew and him together—they can spend the summer breaking records, for Darius. But Drew&’s not the same Drew since Darius was killed, and Isaiah, being Isaiah, isn&’t enough for Drew anymore. Not his taste in clothes, his love for rock music, or his aversion to jumping off rooftops. And one day something unspeakable happens to Isaiah that makes him think Drew&’s right. If only he could be less sensitive, more tough, less weird, more cool, less him, things would be easier. But how much can Isaiah keep inside until he shatters wide open?
Wild Dreamers
by Margarita EngleIn this stirring young adult romance from award-winning author Margarita Engle, love and conservation intertwine as two teens fight to protect wildlife and heal from their troubled pasts.Ana and her mother have been living out of their car ever since her militant father became one of the FBI&’s most wanted. Leandro has struggled with debilitating anxiety since his family fled Cuba on a perilous raft. One moonlit night, in a wilderness park in California, Ana and Leandro meet. Their connection is instant—a shared radiance that feels both scientific and magical. Then they discover they are not alone: a huge mountain lion stalks through the trees, one of many wild animals whose habitat has been threatened by humans. Determined to make a difference, Ana and Leandro start a rewilding club at their school, working with scientists to build wildlife crossings that can help mountain lions find one another. If pumas can find their way to a better tomorrow, surely Ana and Leandro can too.
Cream Buns and Crime: Tips, Tricks, and Tales from the Detective Society (A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery)
by Robin StevensLearn more about Daisy and Hazel&’s detecting process and unravel three brand-new mini-mysteries in this short story companion to the Murder Most Unladylike series.Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are famous for the murder cases they have solved—but there are many other mysteries in the pages of Hazel&’s casebook, including the macabre Case of the Deepdean Vampire, the baffling Case of the Blue Violet, and even their very first case of all: the Case of Lavinia&’s Missing Tie. Packed with these brilliant new mini-mysteries and peppered with Daisy and Hazel&’s own detecting tips, tricks, and facts, this is the perfect book for fans and budding members of the Detective Society.
Madan Mohan: An Enchanting Saga
by Sushant BhartiConservation Architect and Researcher Sushant Bharti highlights the significance of the Madan Mohan, an ancient and important temple in Vrindavan, India that has had a prominent impact both locally and globally throughout its history. The text includes a captivating portrayal of the temple both at home and in the Indian diaspora, a tribute to the attractive, ever enchanting nature of the structure and its spiritual potency.The establishment of Gaudiya Vaishnavas in the Braj region catalysed a novel movement centered around the devotion to Radha and Krishna. This movement, in turn, spurred construction of the Madan Mohan, one of the most significant and prominent temples in the area during the Mughal reign. In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, each temple emerged as a distinct exemple of Mughal artistry, showcasing a seamless integration of diverse architectural components and novel experimentation. The Madan Mohan temple stands as a remarkable testament to the confluence of social, economic, and political forces that transcended regional boundaries during the zenith of Mughal dominance.
Charlie Thorne and the Royal Society (Charlie Thorne)
by Stuart GibbsIn the fourth installment of the New York Times bestselling Charlie Thorne series—which #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Grabenstein called &“a real page-burner&”—Charlie searches for Isaac Newton's secret treasure across Europe and Australia.Charlie Thorne is a genius. Charlie Thorne is fearless. Charlie Thorne may have finally met her match. Charlie Thorne is used to being on the run. Ever since she was recruited by the CIA to track down Einstein&’s most dangerous equation, Charlie—and former CIA agents Dante Garcia and Milana Moon—have traveled around the world to prevent history&’s greatest discoveries from falling into the wrong hands. But after beating others to the secrets hidden by Einstein, Darwin, and Cleopatra, they find they are not the only ones searching for an immensely powerful discovery of Isaac Newton&’s. From a chase over the rooftops of Cambridge University to scaling the Sydney Harbour Bridge to skirting a volcanic eruption, Charlie will need to think one step ahead of her opponents to follow Newton&’s trail of devious clues and keep herself out of the hands of the many enemies who are hot on her tail.
Dogland: Passion, Glory, and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show
by Tommy Tomlinson&“Extraordinary...Tomlinson&’s book is a gem.&” —Minneapolis Star Tribune * &“Delightful.&” —Town & Country * &“This book wants to lick your face. Let it.&” —Kirkus Reviews From Pulitzer Prize finalist Tommy Tomlinson comes an inside account of the Westminster Dog Show that follows one dog on his quest to become a champion—and explores the bond between dogs and their people.Tommy Tomlinson was watching a dog show on television a few years ago when he had a sudden thought: Are those dogs happy? How about pet dogs—are they happy? Those questions sparked a quest to venture inside the dog-show world, in search of a deeper understanding of the relationship between dogs and humans that has endured for thousands of years. Dogland shares his surprising, entertaining, and moving adventures. Tomlinson spends three years on the road and goes behind the scenes at more than one hundred competitions across the country, from Midwestern fairgrounds to Madison Square Garden. Along the way he is licked, sniffed, and rubbed up against by dogs of nearly every size, shape, and breed. Like a real-life version of the classic mockumentary Best in Show, Dogland follows one champion show dog—a Samoyed named Striker—as well as his handler, Laura King, and his devoted entourage of breeders and owners as he competes in the 2022 Westminster Dog Show. Striker&’s whole career has been leading up to this moment. As Tomlinson writes, picking a top show dog is like drafting an NFL quarterback when they&’re still in elementary school. Now Striker has made it to the Super Bowl. Tomlinson takes readers on the long road to glory, bringing the dog-show circuit to life as he witnesses teams scrambling from town to town in search of championship points and large, colorful ribbons. (Striker and his crew travel in a custom-built RV named after Betty White.) Tomlinson&’s limitless curiosity about people and dogs reaches far beyond the show tents and into the ordinary lives of dogs. We hear from experts who have discovered new insights into how dogs and humans formed their bond—and how that bond has changed over the centuries. We discover the fascinating origins of different dog breeds, learn about the elaborate breed standards that determine an ideal show dog, and consider the health issues that can arise in purebred dogs. We also meet dog lovers who applaud every dog, regardless of breed, simply for being themselves, such as WeRateDogs, the social media phenomenon with millions of followers, all for posts celebrating the day-to-day goofiness in most dog owners&’ lives. Engaging, charming, and insightful, Dogland is an irresistibly appealing read that invites us on a rollicking backstage tour through the rituals, tricks, and wonders of the dog-show world—and reveals what matters most for the happiness of dogs and dog lovers everywhere.
Finally Fitz
by Marisa KanterA bisexual teen girl tries to make her ex jealous by faking an Instagram romance that leads to surprisingly real feelings in this hijinks-filled rom-com perfect for fans of To All the Boys I&’ve Loved Before and She Gets the Girl.Ava &“Fitz&” Fitzgerald has worked hard to create the picture-perfect life she&’s always wanted. She spent her junior year transforming her passion for sustainable fashion and upcycling into a viral online platform, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, and spending every free second with her soon-to-graduate girlfriend, Danica. And this summer she plans to take it all to the next level by attending a prestigious summer fashion program in New York City and convincing Dani that they can survive a year of long distance. But when Dani dumps her before classes even start, accusing Fitz of being more invested in growing her online persona than deepening their relationship, she&’s left not only heartbroken, but also creatively blocked. Fitz will do anything to win Dani back, even if that means taking a break from the platform that she&’s worked so hard to build. But just as she decides to go all-in on a hiatus, a chance encounter reunites her with Levi Berkowitz, her childhood best friend that she hasn&’t seen since elementary school. Levi is struggling with heartbreak of his own, and this cosmic coincidence sparks a new use for her social media savvy. Fitz offers to help Levi craft a fake relationship online to make his person jealous…if in return he can pretend to be her boyfriend in front of Dani to make her jealous. If all goes according to plan, by the end of the summer they&’ll both be reunited with their perfect partners and get to rekindle their friendship in the process. Sometimes even the most carefully designed plans can come apart at the seams, though. And when real history leads to not-so-fake feelings, Fitz will have to decide if she&’s finally willing to let go of what she thought was picture-perfect and choose what might actually be right for her.
The Schlemiel Kids Save the Moon
by Audrey BarbakoffA joyous modern-day twist on a Wise Men of Chelm folktale written by a fresh Jewish voice filled with humor, some juicy Yiddish terms, and smart, savvy kids brimming with innovative solutions."An enjoyable, rollicking read. Fun by the light of the moon—or anytime." —Kirkus Reviews Oy, Chelm. Long known as home to the &“wisest&” people in Yiddish folklore. But what is Chelm like today? What if the kids were more clever than the rest of the townsfolk? When the misguided adults of modern-day Chelm believe the moon has plunged into the lake, it&’s up to the Schlemiel siblings to convince the grown-ups that their fears of a fallen moon are unfounded. Join Sarah and Sam in this hilarious twist on a classic Yiddish folktale as they use teamwork, innovation and patience to save the day...and night! Here is a book that will expand young readers&’ knowledge of Jewish culture beyond holidays, history, and the Holocaust.
Sound and Silence: My Experience with China and Literature (Sinotheory)
by Lianke YanYan Lianke is a world-renowned author of novels, short stories, and essays whose provocative and nuanced writing explores the reality of everyday life in contemporary China. In Sound and Silence, Yan compares his literary project to a blind man carrying a flashlight whose role is to help others perceive the darkness that surrounds them. Often described as China’s most censored author, Yan reflects candidly on literary censorship in contemporary China. He outlines the Chinese state’s project of national amnesia that suppresses memories of past crises and social traumas. Although being banned in China is often a selling point in foreign markets, Yan argues that there is no requisite correlation between censorship and literary quality. Among other topics, Yan also examines the impact of American literature on Chinese literature in the 1980s and 1990s. Encapsulating his perspectives on life, writing, and literary history, Sound and Silence includes an introduction by translator Carlos Rojas and an afterword by Yan.
Dolia: The Containers That Made Rome an Empire of Wine
by Caroline CheungThe story of the Roman Empire’s enormous wine industry told through the remarkable ceramic storage and shipping containers that made it possibleThe average resident of ancient Rome drank two-hundred-and-fifty liters of wine a year, almost a bottle a day, and the total annual volume of wine consumed in the imperial capital would have overflowed the Pantheon. But Rome was too densely developed and populated to produce its own food, let alone wine. How were the Romans able to get so much wine? The key was the dolium—the ancient world’s largest type of ceramic wine and food storage and shipping container, some of which could hold as much as two-thousand liters. In Dolia, classicist and archaeologist Caroline Cheung tells the story of these vessels—from their emergence and evolution to their major impact on trade and their eventual disappearance.Drawing on new archaeological discoveries and unpublished material, Dolia uncovers the industrial and technological developments, the wide variety of workers and skills, and the investments behind the Roman wine trade. As the trade expanded, potters developed new techniques to build large, standardized dolia for bulk fermentation, storage, and shipment. Dolia not only determined the quantity of wine produced but also influenced its quality, becoming the backbone of the trade. As dolia swept across the Mediterranean and brought wine from the far reaches of the empire to the capital’s doorstep, these vessels also drove economic growth—from rural vineyards and ceramic workshops to the wine shops of Rome.Placing these unique containers at the center of the story, Dolia is a groundbreaking account of the Roman Empire’s Mediterranean-wide wine industry.
Sixty Miles Upriver: Gentrification and Race in a Small American City
by Richard E. OcejoAn unvarnished portrait of gentrification in an underprivileged, majority-minority small cityNewburgh is a small postindustrial city of some twenty-eight thousand people located sixty miles north of New York City in the Hudson River Valley. Like many other similarly sized cities across America, it has been beset with poverty and crime after decades of decline, with few opportunities for its predominantly minority residents. Sixty Miles Upriver tells the story of how Newburgh started gentrifying, describing what happens when White creative professionals seek out racially diverse and working-class communities and revealing how gentrification is increasingly happening outside large city centers in places where it unfolds in new ways.As New York City&’s housing market becomes too expensive for even the middle class, many urbanites are bypassing the suburbs and moving to smaller cities like Newburgh, where housing is affordable and historic. Richard Ocejo takes readers into the lives of these newcomers, examining the different ways they navigate racial difference and inequality among Newburgh&’s much less privileged local residents, and showing how stakeholders in the city&’s revitalization reframe themselves and gentrification to cast the displacement they cause to minority groups in a positive light.An intimate exploration of the moral dilemma at the heart of gentrification, Sixty Miles Upriver explains how progressive White gentrifiers justify controversial urban changes as morally good, and how their actions carry profound and lasting consequences for vulnerable residents of color.