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The Optimists: A Novel
by Andrew MillerA disillusioned photojournalist finds solace close to home in this &“subtle, beautifully written&” novel from the award-winning author of Pure (The Boston Globe). Clem Glass was a successful photojournalist, firm in the belief that photographs could capture truth and beauty—until he went to Africa and witnessed the aftermath of a genocidal massacre. Clem returns to London with his faith in human nature shattered and his life derailed. Nothing—work, love, sex—can rouse his interest and no other outlook can restore his faith. The one person Clem is able to connect with is his sister, who has made her own sudden retreat from reality into the shadows of mental illness, and he finds some peace nursing her back to health in rural Somerset. Then, news arrives that offers him the chance to confront the source of his nightmares. From the celebrated author of Ingenious Pain and Oxygen, this masterfully rendered novel explores the perilously thin line between self-delusion and optimism. &“Once again Miller shows himself to be an acutely sensitive observer of life at a particular moment in history . . . [His] inventive yet unobtrusive prose conveys a richly complex reality filtered through Clem&’s stunned consciousness.&” —The Wall Street Journal &“[A] work of solemn artistry. Miller&’s style is one of guarded lyricism, in which he allows just enough poetry in the language to get the job done, the mood or moment caught.&” —The New York Times Book Review (Editors&’ Choice)
Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism
by Richard WolffWhat, and who, are we working for? A thoughtful assessment on our current society from &“probably America&’s most prominent Marxist economist&” (The New York Times).Capitalism as a system has spawned deepening economic crisis alongside its bought-and-paid-for political establishment. Neither serves the needs of our society. Whether it is secure, well-paid, and meaningful jobs or a sustainable relationship with the natural environment that we depend on, our society is not delivering the results people need and deserve.One key cause for this intolerable state of affairs is the lack of genuine democracy in our economy as well as in our politics. The solution requires the institution of genuine economic democracy, starting with workers managing their own workplaces, as the basis for a genuine political democracy.Here Richard D. Wolff lays out a hopeful and concrete vision of how to make that possible, addressing the many people who have concluded economic inequality and politics as usual can no longer be tolerated and are looking for a concrete program of action. &“Wolff&’s constructive and innovative ideas suggest new and promising foundations for much more authentic democracy and sustainable and equitable development, ideas that can be implemented directly and carried forward. A very valuable contribution in troubled times.&” —Noam Chomsky, leading public intellectual and author of Hope and Prospects
The Din in the Head: Essays
by Cynthia OzickA collection of essays on the joys of great literature from the New York Times–bestselling author and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. One of America&’s foremost novelists and critics, Cynthia Ozick has won praise and provoked debate for taking on challenging literary, historical, and moral issues. Her new collection of spirited essays focuses on the essential joys of great literature, with particular emphasis on the novel. With razor-sharp wit and an inspiring joie de vivre, she investigates unexpected byways in the works of Leo Tolstoy, Saul Bellow, Helen Keller, Isaac Babel, Sylvia Plath, Susan Sontag, and others. In a posthumous and hilariously harassing &“(Unfortunate) Interview with Henry James,&” Ozick&’s hero is shocked by a lady reporter. In &“Highbrow Blues,&” and in reflections on her own early fiction, she writes intimately of &“the din in our heads, that relentless inner hum,&” and the curative power of literary imagination. The Din in the Head is sure to please fans of Ozick, win her new readers, and excite critical controversy and acclaim. &“Open the collection anywhere—I guarantee it—and you will feel the bite of her distinctive voice.&” —Sven Birkerts, Los Angeles Times &“The passion that fills these essays is invigorating. In our age of irony and commercial pandering, we need writers like Ozick.&” —Danielle Chapman, Chicago Tribune
Bye Bye Blondie (Ldp Litterature Ser.)
by Virginie DespentesIn a wrecked modern version of a romance novel, acclaimed French writer Virginie Despentes pokes at the simultaneous ecstasy and banality of love in an age of psychiatry and punk. Gloria lives in seething rage, lashing out at everyone—particularly, a string of bewildered boyfriends—at the local bar. But when her latest explosion leaves her out on the street, she unexpectedly runs into famed television personality Eric Muir. Incidentally, he&’s also her teenage boyfriend, and the one who started it all. Once upon a time, Gloria and Eric met while institutionalized, and then became a mascot couple for those homeless and high on a noisy mix of drugs, music, and counterculture. Now, twenty years later, Gloria is enamored by youthful love resurrected and determined to immortalize their story by writing a screenplay. Whisked away to Paris, she&’s transformed from a provincial loose cannon into an urbane party guest. But navigating life and love isn&’t any easier for the middle-aged. Cutting deep to unearth the marriage of institutional violence and heterosexual relationships, Bye Bye Blondie illustrates how young women are continuously dragged down and neglected, and then dangled false offers of fame in lieu of real, redemptive recognition.
Breaking the Sound Barrier
by Amy GoodmanThe host of Democracy Now! breaks through the corporate media&’s lies, sound bites, and silence in this New York Times–bestselling collection of articles. In place of the usual suspects—the &“experts&” who, in Amy Goodman&’s words, &“know so little about so much, explain the world to us, and get it so wrong&”—this accessible, lively collection allows the voices the corporate media exclude and ignore to be heard loud and clear. From community organizers in New Orleans, to the courageous American soldiers who&’ve said &“no&” to Washington&’s wars, to victims of torture and police violence, we are given the extraordinary opportunity to hear ordinary people standing up and speaking out. Written with all of the fierce intelligence and passion for truth that millions have come to expect from Amy Goodman&’s reportage, Breaking the Sound Barrier proves the power that independent journalism can have in the struggle for a better world, one in which ordinary citizens are the true experts of their own lives and communities. Praise for Amy Goodman and Breaking the Sound Barrier &“Amy Goodman has taken investigative journalism to new heights.&” —Noam Chomsky, leading public intellectual and author of Hopes and Prospects &“Amy, as you will discover on every page of this book, knows the critical question for journalists is how close they are to the truth, not how close they are to power.&” —From the foreword by Bill Moyers, author of Moyers on America &“What journalism should be: beholden to the interests of people, not power and profit.&” —Arundhati Roy, author of The End of Imagination &“Those unfamiliar with Goodman&’s work will discover a bold voice that refuses to mince words regardless of the topic or target, along with a wealth of behind-the-headlines reporting.&” —Publishers Weekly
Cracking the Boy's Club Code: The Woman's Guide to Being Heard and Valued in the Workplace
by Michael Johnson&“Frustrated working with male co-workers? Wish you had a key to understanding the male business mind? Look no further&” (Claire Shipman, Senior National Correspondent for Good Morning America). Wouldn&’t it be nice to have a decoder ring to understand how men think? Cracking the Boy&’s Club Code gives you creative strategies for winning respect from male co-workers and getting the outcomes you want. In a unique, engaging style respectful of both sexes, Michael Johnson outlines gender communication styles and how to work within them to enable more harmonious interoffice interactions. Learn communication strategies that help you get heard, appreciated and rewarded. Discover hidden rules that govern men&’s behavior at work. Learn the top ten ways women sabotage themselves. Find out how to offer ideas with authority—and get credit for them. Identify your unconscious habits that undermine credibility. With practical suggestions geared toward the business world, Johnson shows us how men&’s conversational rituals and verbal power games can cause your best efforts to go unnoticed and unappreciated in the workplace. A must read for women who work with men, this book offers a peek into to the male business mind. Once you&’ve cracked the boy&’s club code, you&’ll be heard, valued, and appreciated—without compromising your authenticity. &“There&’s no need to break the glass ceiling . . . just remove it! Johnson gives women a unique peek into the unspoken rules men use in business, then shows us how to use those same rules to our advantage. This book is destined to be a classic for all women in business. Read it and ROCK!&” —Christine Comaford, CEO, Mighty Ventures and author of Rules for Renegades
Crisis of the House Divided: An Interpretation of the Issues in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 50th Anniversary Edition
by Harry V. JaffaThis definitive analysis of the Lincoln-Douglas debates is &“one of the most influential works of American history and political philosophy ever published (National Review). In Crisis of the House Divided, noted conservative scholar and historian Harry V. Jaffa illuminates the political principles that guided Abraham Lincoln from his reentry into politics in 1854 through his Senate campaign against Stephen Douglas in 1858. Through critical analysis of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Jaffa demonstrates that Lincoln&’s political career was grounded in his commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law, and abolition. A landmark work of American history, it &“has shaped the thought of a generation of Abraham Lincoln and Civil War scholars." To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the original publication, Jaffa has provided a new introduction (Civil War History). "A searching and provocative analysis of the issues confronted and the ideas expounded in the great debates…A book which displays such learning and insight that it cannot fail to excite the admiration even of scholars who disagree with its major arguments and conclusions."—D. E. Fehrenbacher, American Historical Review
In It for the Long Haul: Overcoming Burnout & Passion Fatigue as Social Justice Change Agents
by Kathy ObearSometimes when you&’re helping others, you need to learn to help yourself. If you make serving others and engaging in activism a priority—whether as a volunteer or a professional—feeling exhausted and overwhelmed can come with the territory, sometimes leading to despair. When the problems and obstacles feel so big, it&’s easy to lose hope, but there is a healthier way. Are you running on empty, having to push yourself to keep going? Then this book is for you. Through engaging stories and practical tips and tools, you&’ll learn how to: Recognize the warning signs you&’re burning outTake better care of yourself AND spark real change in the worldRecommit to self-care so you can be of greater serviceNavigate the backlash and self-sabotage you&’ll inevitably faceAvoid burnout and passion fatigue while maintaining a high level of energy, passion, and persistence year after year The world needs more passionate, committed change agents who can go the distance, not flame out in an all-out sprint. Read this book to find out how to recreate your life to sustain your impact in the world over the long haul.
Duffy's World: Seeing the World through a Dog's Eyes
by Faith McCuneAn Australian shepherd tells the story of his puppyhood and life with his family—with a little help from his human companion . . . Part memoir, part dog owner&’s manual, this delightful book is narrated primarily from a dog&’s point of view. As Duffy&’s owner chimes in with her own perspective, readers will recognize their own joys and challenges that mark the territory of the human/canine relationship. From eating anything and everything, to a profound fear of needles and bee stings, to being &“released&” from dog training school, Duffy&’s never-ending zest for new experiences is the source of his owner&’s greatest frustration—and most profound life lessons. &“Duffy&’s story touched my heart.&” —Julie Hanson, registered veterinary technician
The Four Gifts of the King: A Novel
by R. Scott RodinThe leadership coach, theological visionary, and author of The Steward Leader delivers a thrilling novel of salvation and hope that speaks to the soul. When Sam Roberts learns he is dying, he is faced with a decision that will determine his legacy and alter forever the destinies of his four adult children. With his lifelong friend Walter at his side, Sam writes his last words to his children. His legacy would come not through money or power, but through a parable. Sam takes his children and readers alike on the breathtaking adventure of Steward of Aiden Glenn and his quest to find the King and learn the purpose for his life. The Four Gifts of the King is a saga of truth and deception, of trust and love, of courage and victory, and of faith. At its heart is the importance of family and coming home to the values that shape adults from children. It calls readers to consider their own legacy. It&’s a parable that changed the lives of Sam&’s children forever, as it changes the lives of all who read it.
The Holocaust: History & Memory (The\second World War Ser.)
by Jeremy Black&“A compact and cogent academic account of the Holocaust.&” —Kirkus Reviews Brilliant and wrenching, The Holocaust: History and Memory tells the story of the brutal mass slaughter of Jews during World War II and how that genocide has been remembered and misremembered ever since. Taking issue with generations of scholars who separate the Holocaust from Germany&’s military ambitions, historian Jeremy M. Black demonstrates persuasively that Germany&’s war on the Allies was entwined with Hitler&’s war on Jews. As more and more territory came under Hitler&’s control, the extermination of Jews became a major war aim, particularly in the east, where many died and whole Jewish communities were exterminated in mass shootings carried out by the German army and collaborators long before the extermination camps were built. Rommel&’s attack on Egypt was a stepping stone to a larger goal—the annihilation of 400,000 Jews living in Palestine. After Pearl Harbor, Hitler saw America&’s initial focus on war with Germany rather than Japan as evidence of influential Jewish interests in American policy, thus justifying and escalating his war with Jewry through the Final Solution. And the German public knew. In chilling detail, Black unveils compelling evidence that many everyday Germans must have been aware of the genocide around them. In the final chapter, he incisively explains the various ways that the Holocaust has been remembered, downplayed, and even dismissed as it slips from horrific experience into collective consciousness and memory. Essential, concise, and highly readable, The Holocaust: History and Memory bears witness to those forever silenced and ensures that we will never forget their horrifying fate. &“A balanced and precise work that is true to the scholarship, comprehensive yet not overwhelming, clearly written and beneficial for the expert and informed public alike.&” —Jewish Book Council &“A demanding but important work.&” —Choice Reviews
Mrs. Pringle of Fairacre: A Novel (The Beloved Fairacre Series #17)
by Miss ReadThere&’s no pleasing Mrs. Pringle—and everyone in Fairacre knows it. &“Miss Read&’s novels are sheer delight&” (Chicago Tribune). Miss Read is certain of one thing—she won&’t be forced to hire grumpy Mrs. Pringle to straighten up her house. Mrs. Pringle of Fairacre chronicles the life of the beloved but curmudgeonly school cleaner through the stories of her fellow villagers. Readers will delight in the quirks of this favorite character, from the &“flare-ups&” of her bad leg to her possessive fondness for the school&’s two coal stoves. Her neighbors also remember Maud Pringle&’s little-known benevolence, like the time she knitted mittens for poor Joe Coggs. The downland village of Fairacre bustles with familiar characters, who all have stories to share about the town&’s (and readers&’) favorite grouch. &“Miss Read is a master of characterization and description . . . Mrs. Pringle is a book to savor to the very end.&” —Broward Sun-Sentinel &“A soothing oasis of tidy living for the frazzled reader weary of an untidy world.&” —Kirkus Reviews
Howard Zinn Speaks: Collected Speeches 1963-2009
by Howard ZinnA wide-ranging collection of speeches—many published here for the first time—by the historian and author of A People&’s History of the United States. Howard Zinn has illuminated our history like no other US historian. This collection of his speeches on protest movements, racism, war, and American history covers more than four decades of his active engagement with the audiences he inspired with his humor, insight, and clarity. This volume features Zinn&’s impassioned and erudite statements on the war in Vietnam, abolishing the death penalty, the legacy of Emma Goldman, the myth of American exceptionalism, the Obama Administration, and much more. &“Reading Howard&’s spoken words, I feel that I am almost hearing his voice again—his stunning pitch-perfect ability to capture the moment and the concerns and needs of the audience, whoever they may be, always enlightening, often stirring, an amalgam of insight, critical history, wit, blended with charm and appeal.&” —Noam Chomsky, leading public intellectual and author of Hopes and Prospects &“With ferocious moral clarity and mischievous humor, Howard turned routine antiwar rallies into profound explorations of state violence and staid academic conferences into revival meetings for social change.&” —Naomi Klein, author of No Is Not Enough and The Battle For Paradise
The Boy on the Lake: A True Story
by Charlie Smith Susan Rosser Trevor SchaeferThe inspiring true story of a boy who turned his struggle with cancer into a public health crusade that went all the way to Washington, DC. Trevor Smith Schaefer was the boy with everything to live for. Born into a family of baseball and Big Macs, his life in a small Idaho mountain town was full of nothing but potential. Then came the piercing headaches that wouldn&’t stop. And soon after his thirteenth birthday he received the diagnosis that would turn Trevor&’s world upside-down—he had brain cancer. After having a tumor the size of a golf ball removed from his brain, Trevor persevered through a difficult recovery. But he wasn&’t done fighting. With the help of his mother, Trevor began organizing fundraisers and educational awareness events for cancer—specifically the types occurring in children due to environmental factors like pollution and toxic waste. This is the incredible tale of Trevor&’s journey from cancer patient to community activist and the force behind what became known as &“Trevor&’s Law&”—which required the government to track and follow cancer clusters and their causes. The bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2016. The passing and signing of Trevor&’s Law proved &“the power of one Idahoan, one American, to bring change that will benefit millions of people who could face cancer one day.&” —Senator Mike Crapo, R–Idaho
Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere!: 8 Keys to Creating Enduring Connections with Customers, Co-Workers . . . Even Kids!
by Arnold Sanow Sandra StraussA renowned business and communication expert demonstrates 8 key ways to create enduring connections with friends, customers, co-workers . . . and even kids! Whether you work in marketing and sales or in customer service . . . are a CEO or a stay-at-home mom, the ability to effectively connect with the needs of others dramatically affects your productivity, effectiveness, and motivation. This is your one-stop guidebook for all the information you need to communicate effectively and build lasting personal and professional relationships today, next week, and next year. Relationships are critical to success and happiness. This book, written by one of only 525 Certified Speaking Professionals in the world, will give you skills you need to turn your encounters with contacts, acquaintances, and even family members, into enduring connections. "A useful reminder of what we all need to make our lives and our businesses work better: communication, openness and sincerity. It's so easy to lose touch with these concepts in a busy, stressful day, but Sanow and Strauss make a compelling argument that it's worth it to make the effort.&” —The Washington Post
Essays: An Essay
by Wallace ShawnA collection of &“deceptively simple, profoundly thoughtful, fiercely honest&” essays on art, life, and politics by the acclaimed actor and playwright (Howard Zinn, author of Political Awakenings and Indispensable Zinn). Whether writing about the genesis of his plays, such as Aunt Dan and Lemon; discussing how the privileged world of arts and letters takes for granted the people who serve our food and deliver our mail; describing his upbringing in the sheltered world of Manhattan&’s cultural elite; or engaging in a fascinating interview with Noam Chomsky, Wallace Shawn has a unique ability to step back from the appearance of things to explore their deeper social meanings. In these essays, Shawn grasps the unpleasant contradictions of modern life and challenges us to look at our own behavior in a more honest light. He also finds the pathos in the political and personal challenges of everyday life. With the same sharp wit and remarkable attention to detail that he brings to his critically acclaimed plays, Shawn invites us to look at the world with new eyes, the better to understand—and change it. &“Full of what you might call conversation starters: tricky propositions about morality . . . politics, privilege, runaway nationalist fantasies, collective guilt, and art as a force for change (or not) . . . It&’s a treat to hear him speak his curious mind.&” —O Magazine &“Lovely, hilarious and seriously thought provoking, I enjoyed it tremendously.&” —Toni Morrison, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature
The Stone Gods: A Novel
by Jeanette WintersonThe Whitbread Prize–winning author of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit delivers a novel that &“transports us to something like the future of our own planet&” (The Washington Post Book World). On the airwaves, all the talk is of the new blue planet—pristine and habitable, like our own was sixty-five million years ago, before we took it to the edge of destruction. Off the air, Billie Crusoe and the renegade Robo sapien Spike are falling in love. Along with Captain Handsome and Pink, they&’re assigned to colonize the new blue planet. But when a technical maneuver intended to make it inhabitable backfires, Billie and Spike&’s flight to the future becomes a surprising return to the distant past—&“Everything is imprinted forever with what it once was.&” What will happen when their story combines with the world&’s story? Will they—and we—ever find a safe landing place? Playful, passionate, polemical, and frequently very funny, The Stone Gods will change forever the stories we tell about the earth, about love, and about stories themselves. &“Scary, beautiful, witty and wistful by turns, dipping into the known past as it explores potential futures.&” —The New York Times Book Review &“[A book] that you don&’t so much read as drink in, refuse to put down, cast inside of like a hunting dog, seeking against all odds the insight that will illuminate everything, a true answer to the fix we&’re in.&” —Los Angeles Times &“A vivid, cautionary tale—or, more precisely, a keen lament for our irremediably incautious species.&” —Ursula K. Le Guin, bestselling author of Changing Planes
D-Day Through French Eyes: Normandy 1944
by Mary Louise Roberts&“A moving examination of how French civilians experienced the fighting&” at Normandy during WWII from the acclaimed author of What Soldiers Do (Telegraph, UK). &“Like big black umbrellas, they rain down on the fields across the way, and then disappear behind the black line of the hedges.&” Silent parachutes dotting the night sky—that&’s how one Normandy woman learned that the D-Day invasion was under way in June of 1944. Though they yearned for liberation, the French had to steel themselves for war, knowing that their homes, lands, and fellow citizens would have to bear the brunt of the attack. With D-Day through French Eyes, Mary Louise Roberts turns the conventional narrative of D-Day on its head, taking readers across the Channel to view the invasion anew. Roberts builds her history from an impressive range of gripping first-person accounts by French citizens throughout the region. A farm family notices that cabbage is missing from their garden—then discovers that the guilty culprits are American paratroopers hiding in the cowshed. Fishermen rescue pilots from the wreck of their B-17, then search for clothes big enough to disguise them as civilians. A young man learns to determine whether a bomb is whistling overhead or silently plummeting toward them. When the allied infantry arrived, French citizens guided them to hidden paths and little-known bridges, giving them crucial advantages over the German occupiers. As she did in her acclaimed account of GIs in postwar France, What Soldiers Do, Roberts here sheds vital new light on a story we thought we knew. "In the great tradition of Studs Terkel and Is Paris Burning?, Mary Louise Roberts uses the diaries and memoirs of French civilians to narrate a history of the French at D-Day that has for too long been occluded by the mythology of the allied landing.&”—Alice Kaplan, author of Dreaming in French
Salvation and Suicide: Jim Jones, The Peoples Temple, and Jonestown (Religion in North America #No. 690)
by David ChidesterAn &“ambitious and courageous&” examination of the Jonestown cult viewed through the lens of theology (Journal of the American Academy of Religion). Re-issued in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the mass suicides at Jonestown, this revised edition of David Chidester&’s groundbreaking book features a new prologue that considers the meaning of the tragedy for a post-Waco, post-9/11 world. For Chidester, the murder-suicide of some 900 members of the Peoples Temple in Guyana recalls the American religious commitment to redemptive sacrifice, which for Jim Jones meant saving his followers from the evils of capitalist society. &“Jonestown is ancient history,&” writes Chidester, but it does provide us with an opportunity &“to reflect upon the strangeness of familiar . . . promises of redemption through sacrifice.&” His original conclusion that the Peoples Temple was a meaningful religious movement seems all the more prescient and astute today, when fundamentalism has raised the troubling spectre of violence and suicide all over the world.
Follow Me into the Dark
by Felicia C. SullivanA woman&’s tortured past is reawakened when a twisted murderer strikes close to home in this &“original, spellbinding, and horrifying read&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Kate is a young woman whose mother is dying of cancer. Gillian is an oversexed, hyper-intellectual who looks like Kate—and is sleeping with Kate&’s loathsome stepfather. Jonah is Gillian&’s odd but devoted stepbrother—who increasingly matches the description of the rampaging serial killer known as the Doll Collector. Though Kate desperately tries to keep herself together and shut out unwelcome memories, snippets of her family legacy keep resurfacing as the Doll Collector&’s body count grows. Are the depraved murders connected to her family&’s sordid history? And will Kate be able to confront the horrors of her own past before it&’s too late to stop the slaughter? A &“haunting and wholly engrossing story of uncommon moral complexity, with prose bright and swift as lightning,&” Follow Me into the Dark is a complex, dark expression of a deprived heart and an exploration of the desperate lengths children will go to in order to create family in the wake of abuse (Laura van den Berg, author of Find Me).
The Comedy Film Nerds Guide to Movies: Featuring Dave Anthony, Lord Carrett, Dean Haglund, Allan Havey, Laura House, Jackie Kashian, Suzy Nakamura, Greg ... Schmidt, Neil T. Weakley, and Matt Weinhold
by Chris Mancini Graham ElwoodA movie guide for film and comedy fans, by filmmakers and comedians, for the movie lover with a good sense of humor. Tired of the usual boring, dry movie discussion? The Comedy Film Nerds Guide to Movies is something new. Is it serious movie discussion? Is it funny? Do the writers know what the hell they are talking about? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Okay, that&’s too many yes&’s, but you get the point. Graham Elwood and Chris Mancini, both professional filmmakers and comedians, created comedyfilmnerds.com to mind meld the idea of real movie talk and real funny. And they called in all of their professionally funny and filmy friends to help them. Comedians and writers who have been on everything from the Tonight Show to their own comedy specials tell you what&’s what about their favorite film genres. While The Comedy Film Nerds Guide to Movies is funny and informative, each genre is given a personal touch. All of the Comedy Film Nerds have a love of film and a personal connection to each genre. Read about a love of film from an insider&’s perspective. The Comedy Film Nerds Guide to Movies brings what has been missing from movie discussion for too long: a healthy dose of humor.
Questioning God (Indiana Series in the Philosophy of Religion)
by John D. Caputo, Mark Dooley and Michael J. ScanlonJacques Derrida and other scholars explore postmodern thinking about God and consider the nature of forgiveness in relation to the paradoxes of the gift. In fifteen insightful essays, Jacques Derrida and an international group of scholars explore the implications of deconstruction for religion, focusing on two topics: God and forgiveness. Among the themes addressed by contributors are the possibilities of imagining God as unthinkable, imagining God as nonpatriarchal, imagining a return to Augustine, and imagining an age in which praise is far more important than narrative. Questioning God moves readers beyond the parameters of metaphysical reason and modernist rationality as it attempts to think the questions of God and forgiveness in a postmodernist context. Contributors include John D. Caputo, Jacques Derrida, Mark Dooley, Francis Schüssler Fiorenza, Robert Gibbs, Jean Greisch, Kevin Hart, Richard Kearney, Cleo McNelly Kearns, John Milbank, Regina M. Schwartz, Michael J. Scanlon, and Graham Ward. &“What sets this work apart from the majority of other publications on the subject of postmodern theology and prevents it from descending into a sanctimonious hagiography of Derrida&’s genius is the presence among the contributors of Graham Ward and John Milbank, two of the founding members of the movement known as radical orthodoxy. This present work is the first to document supporters of radical orthodoxy critically engaging with proponents of Derridean deconstruction.&” —Perspectives
From New York to San Francisco: Travel Sketches from the Year 1869 (Encounters: Explorations in Folklore and Ethnomusicology)
by Ernst Mendelssohn-BartholdyA &“fresh, wonderful, captivating&” journey across 19th-century America through the letters of composer Felix Mendelssohn&’s nephew (alfemminile.blogspot.com). Welcome to an America you&’ve never seen. Where anyone can drop by the White House and visit the President between 10 a.m. and noon; where cowcatchers are bloodied daily on train tracks between New York and Boston; where spent bullets are strewn across Civil War battlefields, and Indians still roam Yosemite Valley; where pigs rut in the sand-and-clay streets of Washington, DC., and the weather-bleached skeletons of oxen and horses line the old mail roads across the West. For three hot summer months in 1869, Ernst Mendelssohn-Barthody, the nephew of famed composer Felix Mendelssohn, traveled by train across the United States accompanied by his older cousin. His letters back home to Prussia offer fascinating glimpses of a young, rapidly growing America. Unceasingly annoyed at the Americans&’ tendency to spit all the time, the Prussian aristocrats seemingly visited everyone and everywhere: meeting President Grant and Brigham Young; touring Niagara Falls, Mammoth Cave, the Redwoods, and Yosemite; taking in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Omaha, San Francisco, and the still war-ravaged city of Richmond; and crossing the continent by rail just two months after the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads had been joined at Promontory, Utah. Full of marvelous tales and insightful observations, Ernst Mendelssohn-Barthody&’s letters are a revealing window to a long-ago America. &“If you love epistolary genre and the USA and if you want to understand how Americans lived immediately after the Secession War, From New York to San Francisco is the book you were waiting for.&”—alfemminile.blogspot.com
Celebrations at Thrush Green: A Novel (The Beloved Thrush Green Series #11)
by Miss Read John S. GoodallSave the date for some English village fun: &“You&’ll relish a visit to Thrush Green&” (Jan Karon, #1 New York Times–bestselling author). In the Cotswolds village of Thrush Green, celebrations are underway. A statue of Nathaniel Patten has graced the green for years, but little is known of the village&’s most distinguished son until an unexpected letter arrives. When the correspondence shows that one hundred years have passed since the opening of Patten&’s mission school in Africa, coinciding with the centenary of Thrush Green&’s own village school, the townsfolk decide to combine festivities for a very special occasion. As with all village events, the plans for the celebration are beset with anxieties, but when the long-anticipated day arrives, the village finds reason to rejoice. &“For the fans, another deep dream of peace—in the doings of that Cotswold English village of Thrush Green, endearingly chronicled as civil neighbors enjoy little pleasures and major satisfactions . . . A bedtime soother of remarkable potency.&” —Kirkus Reviews
I Still Believe Anita Hill: Three Generations Discuss the Legacies of Speaking Truth to Power
by Amy Richards and Cynthia GreenbergA searing collection of essays looks back at the 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearings that ignited a national debate about workplace sexual harassment. In the fall of 1991, Anita Hill captured the country&’s attention when she testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee describing sexual harassment by Clarence Thomas, who had been her boss and was about to ascend to the Supreme Court. We know what happened next: she was challenged, disbelieved, and humiliated; he was given a lifelong judicial appointment. What is less well-known is how many women and men were inspired by Anita Hill&’s bravery, how her testimony changed the feminist movement, and how she singlehandedly brought public awareness to the issue of sexual harassment. Twenty years later, this collection brings together three generations to witness, respond to, and analyze Hill&’s impact, and to present insights in law, politics, and the confluence of race, class, and gender. With original contributions by Anita Hill, Melissa Harris-Perry, Catharine MacKinnon, Patricia J. Williams, Eve Ensler, Ai Jen Poo, Kimberly Crenshaw, Lynn Nottage, Gloria Steinem, Lani Guinier, Lisa Kron, Mary Oliver, Edwidge Danticat, Kevin Powell, and many others. &“These timely essays show us how those historic hearings brought sexual harassment (especially in the workplace) into the public eye, while also revealing what still hasn&’t changed, and reminding us of the intersection of race, class, gender, and power that underlies this contentious issue.&” —Publishers Weekly