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Wayside School Is Falling Down (Wayside School)
by Louis Sachar Adam MccauleyBestselling and Newbery Medal-winning author Louis Sachar knows how to make readers laugh. And there are laughs galore in perennial favorite Wayside School Is Falling Down, now available for the first time in ebook format!Yum! Miss Mush is dishing out her famous Mushroom Surprise in the Wayside School cafeteria. Ron says it tastes like hot dogs and grape jelly. Clean your plate and you’ll turn green in time for class picture day. Wear your craziest outfit and you’ll fit right in between Maurecia in her striped bikini and Clavin, who’s wearing his birthday tattoo. Say cheese!More than nine millions readers have laughed at the wacky stories of Wayside School. So what are you waiting for? Come visit Wayside School!
Wazdot? (Hyperion Picture Book (eBook))
by Michael SlackWhile on a field trip a young alien named Blip notices a blue and green world and sneaks off to investigate. Blip inspects and identifies each of the perplexing objects that cross his path???from a friendly pig and a clutch of ardent chickens to an annoyed cow and an oh-so-tempting tractor???can he figure out where he's landed before his teacher shows up?
We All Want Impossible Things: A Novel
by Catherine NewmanLook for Wreck, the new novel by Catherine Newman—a deeply moving story of laughter and heart, about marriage, family, and what happens when life doesn’t go as planned—Coming October 2025. “Catherine Newman sees the heartbreak and comedy of life with wisdom and unflinching compassion. The way she finds the extraordinary in the everyday is nothing short of poetry. She’s a writer’s writer—and a human’s human.”—New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center“A riotously funny and fiercely loyal love letter to female friendship. The story of Edi and Ash proves that a best friend is a gift from the gods. Newman turns her prodigious talents toward finding joy even in the friendship’s final days. I laughed while crying, and was left revived. Newman is a comic masterhand and a dazzling philosopher of the day-to-day.”—Amity Gaige, author of Sea Wife“The funniest, most joyful book about dying—and living—that I have ever read.”—KJ Dell'Antonia, author of the New York Times bestselling The Chicken SistersFor lovers of Meg Wolitzer, Maria Semple, and Jenny Offill comes this raucous, poignant celebration of life, love, and friendship at its imperfect and radiant best. Edith and Ashley have been best friends for over forty-two years. They’ve shared the mundane and the momentous together: trick or treating and binge drinking; Gilligan’s Island reruns and REM concerts; hickeys and heartbreak; surprise Scottish wakes; marriages, infertility, and children. As Ash says, “Edi’s memory is like the back-up hard drive for mine.” But now the unthinkable has happened. Edi is dying of ovarian cancer and spending her last days at a hospice near Ash, who stumbles into heartbreak surrounded by her daughters, ex(ish) husband, dear friends, a poorly chosen lover (or two), and a rotating cast of beautifully, fleetingly human hospice characters.As The Fiddler on the Roof soundtrack blasts all day long from the room next door, Edi and Ash reminisce, hold on, and try to let go. Meanwhile, Ash struggles with being an imperfect friend, wife, and parent—with life, in other words, distilled to its heartbreaking, joyful, and comedic essence.For anyone who’s ever lost a friend or had one. Get ready to laugh through your tears.
We Are All Crew
by Bill Landauer"This eye-popping page turner hits on all levels and will keep you up way past your bedtime...A coming of age thriller with imagination, guts, and soul."--EcoLit Books"Here we have a Huck Finn for our environmentally damaged age, lost on a river, and moving downstream with humane monsters and monstrous humans. We Are All Crew is hilarious and sad, slapstick and grotesque, fantastical, phantasmagorical, but never, ever just child's play."--Marlon James, author of A Brief History of Seven Killings"Two fourteen-year-old boys embark on a cross-country boat trip that becomes a romp through social anthropology in this hilarious, picaresque novel. But don’t be fooled. Landauer’s observations are as searing as they are funny, and each new twisted and isolated archipelago of a community they encounter resonates in its absurdity like a vision of the near future. We Are All Crew is a coming-of-age story for the boys, but perhaps, if we can channel Landauer’s camouflaged optimism and his biting humor, for America as well."--Tim McLoughlin, author of Heart of the Old Country"The conjuration of an articulate risk taker has spun a tale and created a world infused with politics, 'correctness,' and irony that is witty and intelligent. Taking on serious subjects--environment, deforestation, global warming, and partisan hypocrisy--while addressing the various social networks, apps, video games, and rock-star super-shows, is a lot to handle. But Bill Landauer rises to the task to create a wonderful read. Just sit back and enjoy."--Rashidah Ismaili, author of Autobiography of the Lower East SideTwo fourteen-year-old runaways hell-bent on reaching California end up aboard the Tamzene, a mysterious riverboat that runs on alternative fuel. Piloted by the enigmatic Dr. Seabrook, the Tamzene travels the waterways of a bizarre, fun-house image of the US. This is a satire that questions the sanity of our basic principles, as Gulliver's Travels did for eighteenth-century England.
We Are Definitely Human
by X. FangA hilarious alien invasion story with a feel-good message about what it means to be human. Perfect for earthlings of all ages.When three mysterious visitors from "Europe" crash-land in Mr. Li's field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their "car". No, there's nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they "make business", "play sportsball" and "wear hat". As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high.A sweetly funny extraterrestrial offering that explores surprising acts of kindness and acceptance, X. Fang's second picture book is truly out of this world.
We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay: (tips, tales, travels)
by Gary JanettiA Town & Country Must-Read Book of Summer 2024!"A delightful and sharp-witted tour through a lifetime’s worth of travel exploits and misadventures. . . . Readers are bound to catch the travel bug." — Publishers WeeklyIn this hilarious and often touching collection, the New York Times bestselling author, television writer, and producer takes us with him on travels across the globe.Gary Janetti has gained a devoted following, with a huge audience on social media, and two bestselling collections of essays under his belt. His new collection will prompt laughter but also delighted recognition as Janetti tackles the absurdity and glory of travel.In We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay, he shares stories of his varied trips around the world. Tag along as he enjoys an unexpectedly transformative stay at a rigorous Italian spa where he and his husband go from deep grumpiness to exaltation. Take a ride on the Orient Express to Venice and discover a surprising side of London, including a hilarious dinner with actress Maggie Smith. And pull up a deck chair to watch the entertainment as Gary embarks on a family cruise on the Queen Mary 2.Interspersed with recollections of his trips are personal meditations on dining alone as well as journeys to such diverse destinations as Mykonos, Australia, a Noma pop-up, and other glamorous spots. Gary is unabashedly frank about his very exacting travel needs, and delivers practical advice on all aspects of the traveler’s life, from very precise packing instructions, suggestions on how to get upgrades, and restaurant and hotel recommendations in his favorite cities.Aspirational, charmingly acerbic, and as diverting as the best vacation can be, delivering both laughs and moments of sharp recognition, Gary’s funny collection is the perfect getaway companion, for both seasoned nomads and curious armchair travelers.
We Are Family
by Fabio Bartolomei&“Zanily inventive . . . This deeply eccentric comedy belongs in the company of the best novels about wildly precocious kids&” (The Seattle Times). Al Santamaria is a child prodigy, maybe a genius. It is not out of the realm of possibility that he, alone, will save the human race. But first, he has to solve a far more urgent problem: finding a home for his family. He exists, like many kids, in a realm located somewhere between reality and fantasy, enjoying time with imaginary friends and wielding his magical powers. He has a wonderful relationship with his father, Mario Elvis, and his mother, Agnese, and he&’s convinced he has the best family in the world. But life isn&’t all roses for the Santamaria family. They are typical of many Italian families today, whose existences seem suspended between conflicting impulses: on the one hand, delusions of grandeur and immoderate ambition, and on the other nostalgia for a past golden age and the secret wish that somebody, anybody, will come to their rescue. Big dreams, it appears, exist to be crushed. But Al is not about to give up. He lives in a marvelous world of his own. He has the energy, imagination, and unselfconscious talents of a child. And, although he doesn&’t know it yet, he is going to remain a child his entire life. &“An extended, guffaw-inducing, and sometimes tragic trip through Al&’s young life. It reads like an Italian sitcom.&” —Foreword Reviews &“An amazing novel: it&’ll move you and make you laugh.&” —Elle &“A plot shot through with the richness of Italian comedy and bright irony.&” —La Repubblica
We Are Fearless Queens: Killer clapbacks from modern icons
by Pop Press'I'm not looking for a man, let's start there' - RihannaIt's time to turn your sass level up to 100! This collection of words of wisdom from trailblazers such as Bllie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Lizzo, Beyoncé, and Ariana Grande, will show you how.From fierce clapbacks in the face of sexism to inspiring quotes about equality, relationships, body positivity, and careers, let these icons make you feel stronger, more empowered, and teach you how to be the ultimate Queen.
We Are Giants
by Amber Lee Dodd'A total page-turner...very moving and touching.' JACQUELINE WILSONA brilliantly funny and wonderfully warm-hearted story about love, family, and what it means to be different. Sydney thinks her mum Amy is the best mum in the world - even if she is a bit different. When everyone else kept growing, Amy got to four feet tall and then stopped right there. The perfect height, in Sydney's opinion: big enough to reach the ice cream at the supermarket, small enough to be special. Sydney's dad died when she was only five, but her memories of him, her mum's love and the company of her brave big sister Jade means she never feels alone . . . But when the family are forced to move house, things get tricky. Sydney and Jade must make new friends, deal with the bullies at their new school and generally figure out the business of growing up in a strange new town.And Sydney doesn't want to grow up - not if it means getting bigger than her mum...
We Are Giants
by Amber Lee Dodd'A total page-turner...very moving and touching.' JACQUELINE WILSONA brilliantly funny and wonderfully warm-hearted story about love, family, and what it means to be different. Sydney thinks her mum Amy is the best mum in the world - even if she is a bit different. When everyone else kept growing, Amy got to four feet tall and then stopped right there. The perfect height, in Sydney's opinion: big enough to reach the ice cream at the supermarket, small enough to be special. Sydney's dad died when she was only five, but her memories of him, her mum's love and the company of her brave big sister Jade means she never feels alone . . . But when the family are forced to move house, things get tricky. Sydney and Jade must make new friends, deal with the bullies at their new school and generally figure out the business of growing up in a strange new town.And Sydney doesn't want to grow up - not if it means getting bigger than her mum...
We Are Growing!
by Mo Willems Laurie KellerWalt and his friends are growing up fast! Everyone is the something-est. But . . . what about Walt? He is not the tallest, or the curliest, or the silliest. He is not the anything-est! As a BIG surprise inches closer, Walt discovers something special of his own!
We Are Here Forever
by Michelle GishIt&’s the most adorable apocalypse ever! Based on the popular webcomic, this all-new stand-alone comics collection artfully blends post-apocalyptic sci fi, dry humor, and utter adorability.The human race has vanished replaced by innocent, playful, creatures called the Puramus. In this hilarious and epic graphic novel, short interlocking stories follow the purple pals as they explore their new home, form a mini-monarchy, and develop a modern society on par with 21st-century humans. A final act pulls us across time and space in the search for clues to the origins of the Puramus. Along the way, humor and intrigue abound: Can King defend his village when nobody understands what war is? Will Jingle work up the nerve to read her poetry at open mic night? Will Puffpuff ever stop floating?Based on the webcomic, We Are Here Forever is for fans of post-apocalyptic sci fi blended with dry humor and undeniable adorableness. Colorful and cartoony art will have you rooting for these cute critters through their absurd adventures...but are they really as harmless as they seem?
We Are Inevitable
by Gayle FormanA heartbreaking story about finding yourself and your people, from the bestselling author of If I Stay, a major film starring Chloë Grace Moretz. For fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, John Green and Nick and Norah&’s Infinite Playlist.'I got this whole-body feeling . . . it was like a message from future me to present me, telling me that in some way we weren&’t just bound to happen, that we had, in some sense, already happened. It felt . . . inevitable.' So far, the inevitable hasn&’t worked out so well for Aaron Stein. While his friends have gone to college and moved on with their lives, Aaron&’s been left behind in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State, running a failing bookshop with his dad, Ira. What he needs is a lucky break, the good kind of inevitable. And then he meets Hannah. Incredible Hannah – magical, musical, brave and clever. Could she be the answer? And could they – their relationship, their meeting – possibly be the inevitable Aaron&’s been waiting for?
We Are Never Meeting in Real Life.: Essays
by Samantha Irby<p>Sometimes you just have to laugh, even when life is a dumpster fire. <P>With We Are Never Meeting in Real Life., “bitches gotta eat” blogger and comedian Samantha Irby turns the serio-comic essay into an art form. <P>Whether talking about how her difficult childhood has led to a problem in making “adult” budgets, explaining why she should be the new Bachelorette—she's "35-ish, but could easily pass for 60-something"—detailing a disastrous pilgrimage-slash-romantic-vacation to Nashville to scatter her estranged father's ashes, sharing awkward sexual encounters, or dispensing advice on how to navigate friendships with former drinking buddies who are now suburban moms—hang in there for the Costco loot—she’s as deft at poking fun at the ghosts of her past self as she is at capturing powerful emotional truths. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
We Are Not Eaten by Yaks
by C. Alexander LondonEleven-year-old twins Oliver and Celia Navel could care less about adventure and they really do not like excitement. They’d rather be watching television. Unfortunately for them, their thrill-seeking parents have dragged them from continent to continent their entire lives. But when their mother goes missing and their father makes a bet with the devious explorer Sir Edmund, the twins are forced into action. They head to Tibet where they fall out of airplanes, battle Yetis, poison witches, and encounter one very large yak. If they can unravel the mysteries and outwit Sir Edmund, they might just make the discovery of a lifetime . . . and get cable television!From the Trade Paperback edition.
We Are Not Eaten by Yaks: An Accidental Adventure
by London C. AlexanderEleven-year-old twins Oliver and Celia Navel live on the 4-1/2th floor of the Explorers Club with their father, Dr. Navel. Their mother, Dr. Navel, has been missing for years. So when an explorer shows up with a clue as to where his wife could be, Dr. Navel drags Oliver and Celia to Tibet to find her. Once there, the twins fall out of airplanes, encounter Yetis, travel through waterfalls, and end up in the Demon Fortress of the Warrior King where they-just possibly-might find their mother and save their father from the Poison Witches. Thing is, they would much rather be watching television. And if their trip doesn't work out as planned, the twins could end up as slaves to Sir Edmund Thitheltorpe III, an evil explorer with breath that smells like boiled carrots, who has it in for the whole Navel family.
We Are Rich
by Dori CarterThe little, leafy town of Rancho Esperanza has been a perfect place to live for over a century-a bastion of good, solid, Anglo-Saxon, Republican money. These founding fathers built their gracious estates and country club and fondly called their town, "Ohio by the Sea. " There was only one traffic light and time seemed to stop at the freeway off-ramp. Then came the Clinton years and the invasion of the New American Ruling Class: New York hedge fund managers, Hollywood producers, and Silicon Valley billionaires. Almost overnight, real estate prices quadruple, horse pastures vanish, tuna tartare and arugula appear on every menu, and a Democratic congresswoman is elected by a landslide. The Old Guard aristocrats of yesterday are now irrelevant and the only power they have is keeping the Kornblatts out of their country club. Twelve characters with distinctly different voices tell their tales of lust and longing spanning the years from World War II to the present-each story a piece of the jigsaw puzzle. The pieces all fit together until the secrets and lies, guarded for generations, are revealed, changing everything we thought was true about Rancho Esperanza and the people who live there. Written as a novel in stories, Dori Carter's social satire gets into the hearts and souls of her characters, and presents a fresh look at our attitudes toward money and the ever-shifting nature of status in America.
We Are Rich
by Dori CarterThe little, leafy town of Rancho Esperanza has been a perfect place to live for over a century-a bastion of good, solid, Anglo-Saxon, Republican money. These founding fathers built their gracious estates and country club and fondly called their town, "Ohio by the Sea." There was only one traffic light and time seemed to stop at the freeway off ramp. Then came the Clinton years and the invasion of the New American Ruling Class: New York hedge fund managers, Hollywood producers, and Silicon Valley billionaires. Almost overnight, real estate prices quadruple, horse pastures vanish, tuna tartare and arugula appear on every menu, and a Democratic congresswoman is elected by a landslide. The Old Guard aristocrats of yesterday are now irrelevant and the only power they have is keeping the Kornblatts out of their country club. Twelve characters with distinctly different voices tell their tales of lust and longing spanning the years from World War II to the present-each story a piece of the jigsaw puzzle. The pieces all fit together until the secrets and lies, guarded for generations, are revealed, changing everything we thought was true about Rancho Esperanza and the people who live there.Written as a novel in stories, Dori Carter's social satire gets into the hearts and souls of her characters, and presents a fresh look at our attitudes toward money and the ever-shifting nature of status in America.From the Hardcover edition.
We Are Still Married: Stories and Letters
by Garrison Keillor"Garrison Keillor made it possible, after twenty years of black humor to be both funny and nice, hip and winsome, scathing and loving, all in the flick of a single many-barbed quip - -The Washington Post Book World "Keillor's literary style is as flexible and assured as his vocal delivery. It can slip from mood to mood so subtly and quickly you're never quite sure where you are. [His] writing has the silvery slip of running water, so graceful and easy it's hard to believe it can carry so much that is jagged and unresolved. His integrity lies in his not smoothing away those rough edges in the swift current of his prose; they're bruisingly, sometimes cuttingly there. " -The Village Voice
We Are Watching Eliza Bright
by A.E. OsworthIn this thrilling story of survival and anger, a woman has her whole life turned upside down after speaking out against workplace hostility–and inadvertently becomes the leader of a cultural movement.Eliza Bright was living the dream as an elite video game coder at Fancy Dog Games when her private life suddenly became public. But is Eliza Bright a brilliant, self-taught coder bravely calling out the toxic masculinity and chauvinism that pervades her workplace and industry? Or, is Eliza Bright a woman who needs to be destroyed to protect "the sanctity of gaming culture"? It depends on who you ask... When Eliza reports an incident of workplace harassment that is quickly dismissed, she's forced to take her frustrations to a journalist who blasts her story across the Internet. She's fired and doxxed, and becomes a rallying figure for women across America. But she's also enraged the beast that is male gamers on 4Chan and Reddit, whose collective, unreliable voice narrates our story. Soon Eliza is in the cross-hairs of the gaming community, threatened and stalked as they monitor her every move online and across New York City. As the violent power of an angry male collective descends upon everyone in Eliza's life, it becomes increasingly difficult to know who to trust, even when she's eventually taken in and protected by an under-the-radar Collective known as the Sixsterhood. The violence moves from cyberspace to the real world, as a vicious male super-fan known only as The Inspectre is determined to exact his revenge on behalf of men everywhere. We watch alongside the Sixsterhood and subreddit incels as this dramatic cat-and-mouse game plays out to reach its violent and inevitable conclusion. This is an extraordinary, unputdownable novel that explores the dark recesses of the Internet and male rage, and the fragile line between the online world and real life. It's a thrilling story of female resilience and survival, packed with a powerful feminist message.
We Are What We Pretend To Be
by Kurt VonnegutCalled “our finest black-humorist” byThe Atlantic Monthly, Kurt Vonnegut was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. Now his first and last works come together for the first time in print, in a collection aptly titled after his famous phrase,We Are What We Pretend To Be. Written to be sold under the pseudonym of “Mark Harvey,”Basic Trainingwas never published in Vonnegut’s lifetime. It appears to have been written in the late 1940s and is therefore Vonnegut’s first ever novella. It is a bitter, profoundly disenchanted story that satirizes the military, authoritarianism, gender relationships, parenthood and most of the assumed mid-century myths of the family. Haley Brandon, the adolescent protagonist, comes to the farm of his relative, the old crazy who insists upon being called The General, to learn to be astraight-shooting American. Haley’s only means of survival will lead him to unflagging defiance of the General’s deranged (but oh so American, oh so military) values. This story and its thirtyish author were no friends of the milieu to which the slick magazines’ advertisers were pitching their products. When Vonnegut passed away in 2007, he left his last novel unfinished. EntitledIf God Were Alive Today, this last work is a brutal satire on societal ignorance and carefree denial of the world’s major problems. Protagonist Gil Berman is a middle-aged college lecturer and self-declared stand-up comedian who enjoys cracking jokes in front of a college audience while societal dependence on fossil fuels has led to the apocalypse. Described by Vonnegut as, “the stand-up comedian on Doomsday,” Gil is a character formed from Vonnegut’s own rich experiences living in areality Vonnegut himself considered inevitable. Along with the two works of fiction, Vonnegut’s daughter, Nanette shares reminiscences about her father and commentary on these two works—both exclusive to this edition. In this fiction collection, published in print for the first time, exist Vonnegut’s grand themes: trust no one, trust nothing; and the only constants are absurdity and resignation, which themselves cannot protect us from the void but might divert.
We Are the Perfect Girl
by Ariel KaplanThis witty, warm-hearted retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is a love letter to female friendship. Perfect for Stephanie Perkins fans, and anyone who's ever thought of trying on a new identity to impress a guy.Aphra Brown is bold and outgoing. Her best friend, Bethany, is achingly beautiful. Individually, they could both do a little better in the self-esteem department, but together? Together, they have what it takes to win over Greg D'Agostino, a proverbial "ten," who happens to be fluent in six languages--seven if you count the language of smoldering gazes . . . What begins as an honest mistake turns into an elaborate deception, wherein Bethany goes on dates with Greg while Aphra coaches her on what to say, and texts him in the guise of Bethany, trying and failing, all the while, to tamp down her own hopeless crush. It's only a matter of time before things come crashing down. The question is: What will happen when Greg finds out? And can Aphra and Bethany's friendship survive the fallout? From the author of We Regret to Inform You comes a witty, warm-hearted exploration of love in all its forms, and a cris-de-coeur for self-acceptance when the pressure to be perfect is overwhelming."There is much to appreciate about this book: its cleverness, its humor, that it embraces and normalizes therapy, that it places familial love and friendship on a level with romantic love. But, perhaps best of all, it offers teens, especially those struggling to accept and love themselves, a picture of a girl who makes mistakes and fights to begin again." --Booklist, starred review"At once painful and heartfelt . . . a smart and honest look at female beauty, with plenty of panache to boot." --Kirkus, starred review
We Be Big: The Mostly True Story of How Two Kids from Calhoun County, Alabama, Became Rick & Bubba
by Rick Burgess Don Keith Bill "Bubba" BusseyThe New York Times–bestselling authors tell the inspiring story of their rise to talk radio fame—and the ups and downs of their lives off the air. If you’ve ever started your day with Rick and Bubba, you know the unmistakable drawl of those two crazy Alabama boys. What you may not know is that they almost weren’t “Rick and Bubba.”From their glory days of homemade “radio stations,” youthful athletic ambition, and redneck Shakespearean monologues, Rick and Bubba spent decades working out the personalities you hear today on their syndicated morning talk show. Born in a little studio behind a skating rink, The Rick & Bubba Show filled the airwaves with a voice never before heard on morning radio.We Be Big follows the winding road that led Rick Burgess and Bill “Bubba” Bussey onto the right path after years of missing the off-ramp. Find out how what started as a comedy routine evolved into a genuine conversation that more than 3.5 million people listen in on each week; and learn all the stories behind Rick and Bubba’s famous on-air hijinks, times of uncertainty, and unwavering faith in the face of tragedy.Meet the two “sexiest fat men alive,” and experience the hilarity and heartbreak of their unforgettable story.
We Can't Keep Meeting Like This
by Rachel Lynn SolomonA wedding harpist disillusioned with love and a hopeless romantic cater-waiter flirt and fight their way through a summer of weddings in this effervescent romantic comedy from the acclaimed author of Today Tonight Tomorrow.Quinn Berkowitz and Tarek Mansour&’s families have been in business together for years: Quinn&’s parents are wedding planners, and Tarek&’s own a catering company. At the end of last summer, Quinn confessed her crush on him in the form of a rambling email—and then he left for college without a response. Quinn has been dreading seeing him again almost as much as she dreads another summer playing the harp for her parents&’ weddings. When he shows up at the first wedding of the summer, looking cuter than ever after a year apart, they clash immediately. Tarek&’s always loved the grand gestures in weddings—the flashier, the better—while Quinn can&’t see them as anything but fake. Even as they can&’t seem to have one civil conversation, Quinn&’s thrown together with Tarek wedding after wedding, from performing a daring cake rescue to filling in for a missing bridesmaid and groomsman. Quinn can&’t deny her feelings for him are still there, especially after she learns the truth about his silence, opens up about her own fears, and begins learning the art of harp-making from an enigmatic teacher. Maybe love isn&’t the enemy after all—and maybe allowing herself to fall is the most honest thing Quinn&’s ever done.
We Cast a Shadow: A Novel
by Maurice Carlos RuffinThis is the seductive promise of Dr. Nzinga’s clinic, where anyone can get their lips thinned, their skin bleached, and their nose narrowed. A complete demelanization will liberate you from the confines of being born in a black body—if you can afford it. In this near-future Southern city plagued by fenced-in ghettos and police violence, more and more residents are turning to this experimental medical procedure. Like any father, our narrator just wants the best for his son, Nigel, a biracial boy whose black birthmark is getting bigger by the day. The darker Nigel becomes, the more frightened his father feels. But how far will he go to protect his son? And will he destroy his family in the process? This electrifying, hallucinatory novel is at once a keen satire of surviving racism in America and a profoundly moving family story. At its center is a father who just wants his son to thrive in a broken world. Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s work evokes the clear vision of Ralph Ellison, the dizzying menace of Franz Kafka, and the crackling prose of Vladimir Nabokov. We Cast a Shadow fearlessly shines a light on the violence we inherit, and on the desperate things we do for the ones we love.