Collection: Biography & Memoir

In this evocative memoir, an acclaimed Indian poet explores writing, memory, and place in a post-9/11 world. Passionate, fierce, and lyrical, Fault Lines follows one woman's evolution as a writer at home--and in exile--across continents and cultures. Meena Alexander was born into a privileged childhood in India and grew into a turbulent adolescence in the Sudan, before moving to England and then New York City. With poetic insight and devastating honesty, Alexander explores how trauma and recovery shaped the entire landscape of her memory: of her family, her writing process, and her very self. This new edition, published on the two-year anniversary of Alexander's passing in 2018, will feature a commemorative afterword celebrating her legacy. "Alexander's writing is imbued with a poetic grace shot through with an inner violence, like a shimmering piece of two-toned silk." --Ms. Magazine"Evocative and moving." --Publishers Weekly"One of the most important literary voices in South Asian American writing and American letters broadly writ, Meena Alexander's close examination of exile and migration lays bare the heart of a poet." --Rajiv Mohabir, author of The Cowherd's Son

A new manga adaptation of Musashi's legendary BOOK OF FIVE RINGS!

Miyamoto Musashi is the greatest swordsman who ever lived. He is renowned for his fighting prowess and famous for having never having been defeated. Then he mysteriously disappeared at the relatively young age of 29 to meditate and study.

This book tells the fascinating story of Musashi's return from isolation as he pens his great masterpiece on military tactics, The Book of Five Rings, and begins to train a new generation of Samurai warriors.

The exciting events recounted in this book include:

• How and why Musashi wrote The Book of Five Rings, a revolutionary work that has become the most widely-read book on swordsmanship and Samurai strategy ever written
• The important lessons he provides including the idea of "no mind", or what we now call "flow", which involves endless practice emptying your mind of thoughts to move intuitively without thinking
• Musashi's school for young Samurai warriors where students flock to study with the great master and his final days as he passes the torch to a new generation and solidifies his legacy as Japan's greatest swordsman

Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings: The Manga Edition is a beautifully-illustrated look at the life and legacy of Japan's greatest warrior in graphic novel form.

This selection of texts relating to Cromwell's spirituality has no intention of being hagiographical. That would be both false to the facts and a betrayal of the intent expressed in Cromwell's confessional remarks, namely his desire to live a life of Christian integrity. On the other hand, it does seek to recommend certain aspects of Cromwell's spirituality as a model for believers today, for the author is convinced that his spiritual vision, and that of the Puritans in general, still possesses ongoing value for the contemporary church.

Spirituality lay at the very core of English Puritanism. Whatever else the Puritans may have been--social, political and ecclesiastical Reformers--they were primarily men and women intensely passionate about piety and Christian experience. And as will be seen in the extracts from Cromwell's writings, he is no exception. He is quintessentially Puritan.

An intimate glimpse into the life and letters of Rainer Maria Rilke, one of the most important poets of the twentieth century.

In July 1921, displaced European poet Rainer Maria Rilke sequestered himself in the chateau of Muzot, a thirteenth-century medieval tower perched in the vineyards above the town of Sierre in the Canton Valais, Switzerland. In this sun-flooded landscape of the Rhone Valley, he found beguiling echoes of Spain and his beloved Provence. Here, the Duino Elegies were famously completed and the Sonnets to Orpheus followed.

During this time, Rilke's correspondence also bloomed, and Letters around a Garden collects some of those letters together into English for the first time. One intriguing exchange from 1924 to 1926 was with a young aristocratic Swiss woman Antoinette de Bonstetten, a passionate horticulturist who had been recommended as a potential advisor for the redesign and upkeep of the Muzot rose garden. In twenty-two precious letters originally written in French, Rilke relishes the prospect of their elusive meeting, keenly discusses the plans for his garden, and wittily laments the trials of his plants. Beyond the encomium for Paul Valéry and poignant memory of place are passages of exquisite writing, in which Rilke evokes with trademark sensitivity the delicate relationship between the changing seasons and the natural world of his adopted region. We also witness the loving relationship evolve between these sometime-fugitive correspondents and how questions of solitariness and companionship impinge on one who faces unaccustomed challenges as his health tragically declines.

"It's good to see Si Siman and the Ozark Jubilee get their due in Broadcasting the Ozarks."
--Willie Nelson

Broadcasting the Ozarks explores the vibrant country music scene that emerged in Springfield, Missouri, in the 1930s and thrived for half a century. Central to this history is the Ozark Jubilee (1955-60), the first regularly broadcast live country music show on network television. Dubbed the "king of the televised barn dances," the show introduced the Ozarks to viewers across America and put Springfield in the running with Nashville for dominance of the country music industry--with the Jubilee's producer, Si Siman, at the helm.

Siman's life story is almost as remarkable as the show he produced. He was booking Tommy Dorsey, Ella Fitzgerald, and Glenn Miller during the mid-1930s while still a high school student and produced nationally syndicated country music radio shows in the decades that followed. Siman was a promotional genius with an ear for talent, a persuasive gift for gab, and the energy and persistence to make things happen for many future Country Music Hall of Famers, including Chet Atkins, Porter Wagoner, the Browns, and Brenda Lee. Following the Jubilee's five-year run, Siman had a hand in some of the greatest hits of the twentieth century as a music publisher, collaborating with such songwriters as rockabilly legend and fellow Springfieldian Ronnie Self, who wrote Brenda Lee's signature hit, "I'm Sorry," and Wayne Carson, who wrote Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind." Although Siman had numerous opportunities to find success in bigger cities, he chose to do it all from his hometown in the Ozarks.

In The Heroes Haggadah: Lead the Way to Freedom, the traditional texts and songs of a 30-45 minute Passover Seder are paired with profiles of 46 influential and diverse Jewish people in fields ranging from pop culture to science, art, and political activism, whose biographies add to the heroic and enduring story of freedom that began with the ancient Exodus.

More than any other Jewish book, the traditional haggadah is continually renewed and rewritten. In this haggadah, each traditional section is also connected to a particular theme, such as commitment, sustainability, hope, activism, perseverance, gratitude, and rejuvenation. Each theme is reflected in the profile of a modern hero as well as in quotes and interpretive English translations of traditional Hebrew blessings, capturing how human heroes partner with God to better our world.

Profiles include: Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Israeli activist Anat Hoffman, one of the founders of Women of the Wall; Polish resistance fighter Tuvia Bielsk; Regina Jonas, first woman to be ordained as a rabbi; Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, first Asian American Cantor and Rabbi: Helen Suzman, for years the sole member of the South African Parliament to stand against apartheid; Eliezar Ben-Yehuda, champion of the rebirth of Hebrew as a spoke language; Pnina Tamano-Shata, first Ethiopian-born woman to serve in Israel's Knesset; Gershom Sizomu, the first native-born Black rabbi of the Abayudaya community in Uganda; Black Jewish rapper Daveed Diggs, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Short biographies of all those profiled are included in an index at the back of the haggadah. Space among the profiles is reserved for participants to include a hero from their own family or community.

The haggadah is welcoming of participants from any background and presents all prayers and blessings in Hebrew, transliteration, and English translation. Songs included are Dayeinu, Eliahu Hanavi, Echad Mi Yodea (Who Knows One), Chad Gadya, and Adir Hu, all presented in English, Hebrew, and transliterated Hebrew. A seder planning guide is provided, along with seven recipes, including a Ugandan Charoset from the Sizomu family, a West African Brisket and a Caribbean Compote, both from cookbook author Michael Twitty, and Groucho Marks' Matzah Balls.

"The idea that it's possible to move from slavery to freedom and from darkness to light and from despair to hope--that is the greatest Jewish story ever told." --SHARON BROUS, FOUNDING RABBI OF IKAR (from The Heroes Haggadah)

'A vital book' JUNO ROCHE
'Beautifully illustrated and fascinating' MEG-JOHN BARKER
'Fun and fact-filled' SUSAN STRYKER

This inspiring collection of illustrated portraits celebrates the lives of influential transgender, non-binary and intersex figures throughout history.

Showcasing the diversity of gender identities and expressions that have existed in all cultures alongside developments from recent years, the extraordinary stories in this book highlight the achievements and legacies of those who have fought to be themselves, whatever their gender. From activists, soldiers and historical leaders through to pirates, actors and artists, this book explores the life and times of over fifty trans and intersex trailblazers in their fight for equality, acceptance and change.

Poignant, educational and empowering, these are the gender pioneers everyone needs to know about.

"No tea no shade, Judy, but your mug looks pretty badly beaten!"

With RuPaul's Drag Race catapulting drag into the mainstream, queens are well and truly owning the spotlight, and introducing us to their quirky and hilarious slang. But are you struggling to keep up with the lingo? Desperate to "throw shade" and "spill the tea" but not quite sure how to work it into a sentence? Well never fear: The Drag Dictionary is here to save you!

Featuring bright, fun illustrations of your best-loved girls, as well as all those classic phrases explained - from "death drop" to "squirrel friends", "tuck" and more - this explains 45 of the best phrases you've been gagging over since the dawn of Lady Bunny. This is a tribute to all things drag, and the amazing artists and superheroes who add sparkle and glitz to our lives.

In March 2020, a young woman spends the night in the Louvre. At home: her nine-month-old son. In her overnight bag: a notebook, a toiletry kit, a duvet, a cube of nougat, and something that shouldn't be there. In her head: memories of the Venus de Milo, of land art and the American road, of romance and travel and immigration and war --and of her father, who after each of their many visits to the Louvre would ask just how she'd go about stealing the Mona Lisa. An insightful and heartfelt meditation on the possibilities and impossibilities of art, on parenthood and the betrayals of growing up, on foreignness and belonging, and on the secret conversations between our souls and the places that linger in our dreams.

Let's go back even further, my father said. It's not even certain that the original purpose of what we call art was to be seen.

In a way, we could go so far as to say that art, what we call art, is made less to be seen than to be stolen.

Winner of the Prix Medicis Essai 2021

Penny is just four years old when she is snatched away from her all-American home by the Hungarian father who abandoned her when she was a baby. After facing isolation and neglect in a strange, dysfunctional household where heartache, rejection, and physical abuse rule her life, she escapes--only to find herself in a relationship with a man who's just converted to fundamentalist Christianity. Penny's road is long, winding, and often painful, but gradually she begins to listen to her inner voice, stand up for herself, and refuse to bow to the pressures of either her family or society--freeing herself to build a life on her own terms and find her way to happiness.

A rise-from-the-ashes hero's story of overcoming abuse, trauma, and unbearable odds, of being waylaid by both family and religion's promise of love, and harnessing the resilience to find the way home, Redeemed offers a rare window into Eastern European immigrant culture and reads like a page-turning thriller. Especially relevant today--a time when marginalized people are increasingly finding a voice--this memoir will serve as an inspiration to women everywhere, encouraging them to overcome their obstacles and go after their dreams.

A hopeful and inspiring biography of the historic gay activist Harvey Milk, who gave people the courage to be proud of who they are.

On a rainy day in January, on the steps of San Francisco's City Hall, Harvey Milk was sworn into office, the first openly gay elected official in the United States of America. Harvey Milk had made history.

From his childhood on Long Island, through college, his service with the Navy, and years as a schoolteacher, Harvey Milk was always popular, intelligent, and energetic. But he was also hiding a secret: He was gay. He eventually moved to San Francisco, where there was a strong LGBTQ community and he could be free to be himself. As he talked to people in his neighborhood, he realized many people who were usually ignored by the government deserved better protection: gay, lesbian, and transgender people, people of color, people with disabilities, and more. He decided to run for public office, and eventually won election to the city's Board of Supervisors. Though his career as a public servant was sadly and suddenly cut short, his pride as an openly gay man and his passion for equality has inspired countless people to continue his work. Harvey's legacy is everywhere today, especially in the hundreds of openly gay elected officials in every level of government.

One of the first picture book biographies for children about a gay leader, this is a perfect introduction to one of the most important figures in the fight for LGBTQ civil rights. Backmatter includes further details about the struggles faced by different groups mentioned in the story, other sources readers can turn to for more information about Harvey, and more books about LGBTQ+ history.

A fresh and fascinating look at caterpillars gives new meaning to the words "line leader"--and ushers kids into the process of scientific discovery--in this first book in the Discovery Chronicles by a biologist and award-winning children's author.

This is a story about remarkable creatures, inquisitive people, and fascinating conversations. The creatures? Pine processionary caterpillars with mysterious group habits. The people? Jean Henri Fabre and, many years later, Terrence Fitzgerald--scientists with big questions about the behavior of these caterpillars. And the conversations? The conversations span lifetimes, as one researcher continues a dialogue started by the other. In this playful, candid, and accessible book for young readers, biologist Loree Griffin Burns captures the unique leader-follower behavior of pine processionary caterpillars through a glimpse into the "ask, test, repeat" nature of the scientific process--and shows how that process creates one long line of questioning and learning. Back matter includes more details about the two scientists as well as a glossary, bibliography, source notes, and suggestions for further reading.

Lucas Mann turns his attention, tenderness, self-reflection, and humor to contemporary fatherhood. He looks closely at all the joys, frustrations, subtleties, and contradictions within an experience that often goes under-discussed. At once intimate and expansive, Mann chronicles his own life with his young daughter, but also looks outward to the cultural and political baggage that surrounds and permeates these everyday experiences. Moving through memoir, lyric essay, literary analysis, and pop culture criticism, Attachments treats the subject of fatherhood with the depth, curiosity, and vivid emotion that it deserves.

A New York Times Best Children's Book of 2020
Nominated for a 2021 Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Award
Featured in 2021 Society of Illustrators Original Art Exhibition
A 2022 Book All Young Georgians Should Read
2020 Eureka! Nonfiction Children's Book Honor Award

I intend to stand firm and let the peacocks multiply, for I am sure that, in the end, the last word will be theirs. -- Flannery O'Connor

When she was young, the writer Flannery O'Connor was captivated by the chickens in her yard. She would watch their wings flap, their beaks peck, and their eyes glint. At age six, her life was forever changed when she and a chicken she had been training to walk forwards and backwards were featured in the local news, and she realized that people want to see what is odd and strange in life. But while she loved birds of all varieties and kept several species around the house, it was the peacocks that came to dominate her life. Written by Amy Alznauer with devotional attention to all things odd and illustrated in radiant paint by Ping Zhu, The Strange Birds of Flannery O'Connor explores the beginnings of one author's lifelong obsession.

Amy Alznauer lives in Chicago with her husband, two children, a dog, a parakeet, sometimes chicks, and a part-time fish, but, as of today, no elephants or peacocks.
Ping Zhu is a freelance illustrator who has worked with clients big and small, won some awards based on the work she did for aforementioned clients, attracted new clients with shiny awards, and is hoping to maintain her livelihood in Brooklyn by repeating that cycle.

Have you noticed people aren't as polite as they once were or that rudeness is no longer an exception but a lifestyle? Sure you have. All you need to do is set foot outside your door to see that bad manners are taking over everywhere. Just look and you'll see:

• People yak on cell phones in restaurants, and even at church.
• Folks in carpools wear enough cologne to make your eyes bleed.
• Family outings to the ballpark are ruined by rowdy drunks.
• People talk in movie theaters like they are in their living rooms.

Well, Whoopi Goldberg has noticed all this and more and asked herself, "Is it just me?" Unleashing her trademark irreverence and humor, her book of observations takes a funny and excruciatingly honest look at how a loss of civility is messing with the quality of life for all of us.