The Souls of Black Folk is a classic work of American literature by W. E. B. Du Bois. It is a seminal work in the history of sociology, and a cornerstone of African-American literary history.To develop this groundbreaking work, Du Bois drew from his own experiences as an African-American in the American society. Outside of its notable relevance in African-American history, The Souls of Black Folk also holds an important place in social science as one of the early works in the field of sociology. Read more

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sympathizer (now an HBO series) comes a moving and unflinchingly personal meditation on the literary forms of otherness and a bold call for expansive political solidarity.Born in war-ravaged Vietnam, Viet Nguyen arrived in the United States as a child refugee in 1975. The Nguyen family would soon move to San Jose, California, where the author grew up, attending UC-Berkeley in the aftermath of the shocking murder of Vincent Chin, which shaped the political sensibilities of a new generation of Asian Americans.The essays here, delivered originally as the prestigious Norton Lectures, proffer a new answer to a classic literary question: What does the outsider mean to literary writing? Over the course of six captivating and moving chapters, Nguyen explores the idea of being an outsider through lenses that are, by turns, literary, historical, political, and familial.Each piece moves between writers who influenced Nguyen’s craft and weaves in the haunting story of his late mother’s mental illness. Nguyen unfolds the novels and nonfiction of Herman Melville, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ralph Ellison, William Carlos Williams, and Maxine Hong Kingston, until aesthetic theories give way to pressing concerns raised by war and politics. What is a writer’s responsibility in a time of violence? Should we celebrate fiction that gives voice to the voiceless—or do we confront the forces that render millions voiceless in the first place? What are the burdens and pleasures of the “minor” writer in any society? Unsatisfied with the modest inclusion accorded to “model minorities” such as Asian Americans, Nguyen sets the agenda for a more radical and disquieting solidarity with those whose lives have been devastated by imperialism and forever wars. Read more

If you were lucky enough to have caught a performance on David Sedaris's most recent sold-out, 34-city tour, you already know that David Sedaris Live For Your Listening Pleasure is a must-have album! If you didn't hear it live and in person, then you're in for a treat-hilarious brand-new recordings from performances in Denver, New York, Durham, LA, and Atlanta, in one convenient audiobook collection, on sale November 24 for only $17.98.From the bold feral rabbits of his French backyard to the eating habits of a carnivorous bird Down Under, Live For Your Listening Pleasure takes listeners on a veritable tour of natural wonders, beginning with a fable, "Cat and Baboon," and moving on to the peculiarly American habitat of the "big-box" store."Sedaris's sparkling essays always shimmer more brightly when read aloud by the author. And his expert timing, mimicry and droll asides are never more polished than during live performances in front of an audience." Publishers Weekly, Starred Review - When You Are Engulfed in FlamesTrack Listing:1: Cat and Baboon (Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre in Denver, Colorado)2-5: Author, Author (Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City)6-8: Innocence Abroad (Durham Performing Arts Center, in Durham, North Carolina)9-13 Laugh, Kookaburra (Royce Hall, UCLA in Los Angeles, California)14-16: Diary Entries (Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia) Read more

Over the course of a steamy and tense afternoon, 12 jurors deliberate the fate of a 19-year-old boy alleged to have murdered his own father. A seemingly open and shut case turns complicated, igniting passions and hidden prejudices. This audio also includes an interview with Reginald Rose's widow, Ellen, in which she talks about how her late husband came to write the original teleplay version of Twelve Angry Men. Read more

From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Sympathizer (now an HBO series) comes a moving and unflinchingly personal meditation on the literary forms of otherness and a bold call for expansive political solidarity.Born in war-ravaged Vietnam, Viet Nguyen arrived in the United States as a child refugee in 1975. The Nguyen family would soon move to San Jose, California, where the author grew up, attending UC Berkeley in the aftermath of the shocking murder of Vincent Chin, which shaped the political sensibilities of a new generation of Asian Americans.The essays here, delivered originally as the prestigious Norton Lectures, proffer a new answer to a classic literary question: What does the outsider mean to literary writing? Over the course of six captivating and moving chapters, Nguyen explores the idea of being an outsider through lenses that are, by turns, literary, historical, political, and familial.Each piece moves between writers who influenced Nguyen’s craft and weaves in the haunting story of his late mother’s mental illness. Nguyen unfolds the novels and nonfiction of Herman Melville, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ralph Ellison, William Carlos Williams, and Maxine Hong Kingston, until aesthetic theories give way to pressing concerns raised by war and politics. What is a writer’s responsibility in a time of violence? Should we celebrate fiction that gives voice to the voiceless―or do we confront the forces that render millions voiceless in the first place? What are the burdens and pleasures of the “minor” writer in any society? Unsatisfied with the modest inclusion accorded to “model minorities” such as Asian Americans, Nguyen sets the agenda for a more radical and disquieting solidarity with those whose lives have been devastated by imperialism and forever wars. Read more

Winner of both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award and named by the Modern Library one of the 20th century's 100 best nonfiction books, Paul Fussell's The Great War and Modern Memory was universally acclaimed on publication in 1970. Today, Fussell's landmark study remains as original and gripping as ever: a literate, literary, and unapologetic account of the Great War, the war that changed a generation, ushered in the modern era, and revolutionized how we see the world. This brilliant work illuminates the trauma and tragedy of modern warfare in fresh, revelatory ways. Exploring the work of Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves, Edmund Blunden, David Jones, Isaac Rosenberg, and Wilfred Owen, Fussell supplies contexts, both actual and literary, for those writers who - with conspicuous imaginative and artistic meaning - most effectively memorialized World War I as a historical experience. Dispensing with literary theory and elevated rhetoric, Fussell grounds literary texts in the mud and trenches of World War I and shows how these poems, diaries, novels, and letters reflected the massive changes - in every area, including language itself - brought about by the cataclysm of the Great War. Read more

A faithful reproduction of the original Peter Pauper Press edition of Poor Richard's Almanack, circa 1950, the current version contains the same colorful woodcuts and 18th century design of the original.Printed in hardcover on heavyweight paper stock, this is a great addition to any Franklin fan's collection.Includes hundreds of delightful aphorisms, carefully selected from many issues of Franklin's popular 18th-century publication.Selections include: ''Well done is better than well said.'' ''Keep Conscience clear, Then never fear.'' ''Enjoy the present hour, be mindful of the past; and neither fear nor wish the approaches of the last.'' ''No gains without pains.'' And hundreds more.Reproductions of colonial-era woodcuts throughout.Printed on heavyweight paper stock.Hardcover volume with dust jacket.Measures 6'' wide x 9-14'' high.80 pages. Read more

The Great Gatsby is often called the great American novel. Emblematic of an entire era, F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic tale of illicit desire, grand illusions, and lost dreams is rendered in a lyrical prose that revives a vanished world of glittering parties and vibrant jazz, where money and deceit walk hand in hand. Rich in humor, sharply observant of status and class, the book tells the story of Jay Gatsby's efforts to keep his faith – in money, in love, in all the promises of America – amid the chaos and conflict of life on Long Island's Gold Coast during the Roaring Twenties. This centennial edition presents the established version of the text in a collector's volume replete with social, cultural, and historical context, and numerous illustrations. The authoritative introduction examines persistent myths about Fitzgerald, his greatest work, and the age he embodies, while offering fresh ways of reading this iconic work. Read more

The "Fresh Air" book critic investigates the enduring power of The Great Gatsby -- "The Great American Novel we all think we've read, but really haven't." Conceived nearly a century ago by a man who died believing himself a failure, it's now a revered classic and a rite of passage in the reading lives of millions. But how well do we really know The Great Gatsby? As Maureen Corrigan, Gatsby lover extraordinaire, points out, while Fitzgerald's masterpiece may be one of the most popular novels in America, many of us first read it when we were too young to fully comprehend its power. Offering a fresh perspective on what makes Gatsby great -- and utterly unusual -- So We Read On takes us into archives, high school classrooms, and even out onto the Long Island Sound to explore the novel's hidden depths, a journey whose revelations include Gatsby 's surprising debt to hard-boiled crime fiction, its rocky path to recognition as a "classic," and its profound commentaries on the national themes of race, class, and gender. With rigor, wit, and infectious enthusiasm, Corrigan inspires us to re-experience the greatness of Gatsby and cuts to the heart of why we are, as a culture, "borne back ceaselessly" into its thrall. Along the way, she spins a new and fascinating story of her own. Read more

In light of accumulating significant debts, Arthur Shelby, a farmer from Kentucky, finds himself on the verge of losing his entire estate. Despite his and his wife's compassionate treatment of their slaves, Shelby is compelled to sell two of them to Mr. Haley, a rugged slave trader, to raise the necessary funds. Uncle Tom's Cabin is a timeless masterpiece that showcases the harsh realities of slavery. Published in 1852, it served as a catalyst for social change, igniting the abolitionist movement and leaving an indelible mark on history. This influential novel, with its emotionally charged narrative, remains an essential read for its powerful storytelling and unwavering commitment to justice. “ What man has nerve to do, man has not nerve to hear.” Features a diverse set of characters showcasing their strengths, vulnerabilities, and the complexities of their relationships. Explores profound questions on humanity, compassion, and injustice's consequences. Features themes such as systemic racism, human rights, and the power of activism. A vital read for understanding both historical and contemporary issues. Serves as a powerful tool for advocating social change and highlighting the injustices of the past. Read more

#1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Mo Willems shares wit and wisdom from The Pigeon in this one-of-a-kind humor book for adults. Discover important tips, thoughts, opinions, quotes, complaints, and basic philosophical misunderstandings in this profound collection of Pigeon-isms. This 80-page, gift-sized collector’s title features all-new original art along with big (and little) Pigeon-y tidbits to ponder, such as:Let me be the first to say that everything has already been said. Surprises happen when you least expect them.If I could change just ONE thing about myself, I'd be perfect. A must-have book for grown-up Pigeon fans! Read more

Winner of both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award and named by the Modern Library one of the twentieth century's 100 Best Non-Fiction Books, Paul Fussell's The Great War and Modern Memory was universally acclaimed on publication in 1970. Today, Fussell's landmark study remains as original and gripping as ever: a literate, literary, and unapologetic account of the Great War, the war that changed a generation, ushered in the modern era, and revolutionized how we see the world. This brilliant work illuminates the trauma and tragedy of modern warfare in fresh, revelatory ways. Exploring the work of Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves, Edmund Blunden, David Jones, Isaac Rosenberg, and Wilfred Owen, Fussell supplies contexts, both actual and literary, for those writers who--with conspicuous imaginative and artistic meaning--most effectively memorialized World War I as an historical experience. Dispensing with literary theory and elevated rhetoric, Fussell grounds literary texts in the mud and trenches of World War I and shows how these poems, diaries, novels, and letters reflected the massive changes--in every area, including language itself--brought about by the cataclysm of the Great War. For generations of readers, this work has represented and embodied a model of accessible scholarship, huge ambition, hard-minded research, and haunting detail.Restored and updated, this new edition includes an introduction by historian Jay Winter that takes into account the legacy and literary career of Paul Fussell, who died in May 2012. Read more

A Remarkable Gift Under $20 for Seniors or Anyone Cherishing Nostalgic Golden YearsTake a stroll down memory lane with heartfelt stories crafted especially for seniors. From the vibrant 1940s to the transformative 2000s, Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors brings the essence of each decade to life through light, inspiring, and nostalgic tales.With 100 thoughtfully selected stories, we’ve also included an EXTRA bonus of 20 additional stories, making this collection even more delightful. That’s 120 stories in total, providing endless moments of joy and reflection for you or your loved ones.What makes this book a perfect choice for you or your loved ones?Authentic Nostalgia: Relive the unforgettable moments of the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and beyond with stories that incorporate real historical details from each era.Engaging Questions: Each story concludes with 3 thought-provoking questions designed to spark conversations, stimulate the mind, and bring loved ones closer.Historical Notes: Gain fascinating insights with brief historical facts that deepen the connection to the times and events in the stories.Comfortable Reading: With a large, easy-to-read font and short, simple narratives, this book is perfect for seniors to enjoy without strain or overwhelm.Why this book stands out:Interactive and Meaningful: Ideal for refreshing old memories, fostering discussions, or even supporting cognitive stimulation for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s.Variety of Emotions: Experience joy, laughter, inspiration, and heartwarming nostalgia with every tale.Extra Value: Includes 20 bonus stories, making this collection even more enriching and enjoyable.Perfect Gift Idea: Whether for birthdays, holidays, or just because, this book is a thoughtful present that celebrates life’s most cherished memories.Bring home Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors today and give the gift of nostalgia, connection, and joy.Click “Add to Cart” to order your copy now and start creating beautiful moments with your loved ones! Read more

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a book set in the Jazz Age in New York, first published in 1925 in the United States.The novel follows a cast of characters living in the fictional towns of West Egg and East Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. The plot revolves primarily around the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his bizarre passion and obsession with the lovely former debutante Daisy Buchanan. The Great Gatsby, considered Fitzgerald's magnum opus, explores themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, social upheaval, and excess, painting a portrait of the Roaring Twenties that has been described as a cautionary tale about the American Dream.“I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”“Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.”“So we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight.” “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”“The world only exists in your eyes-- your conception of it. You can make it as big or as small as you want to. And you're trying to be a little puny individual. By God, if I ever cracked, I'd try to make the world crack with me.”Original 1925 Scripture5 x 8 InchesMatte CoverWhite PaperGrades 9 to 12 Read more

From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Sympathizer (now an HBO series) comes a moving and unflinchingly personal meditation on the literary forms of otherness and a bold call for expansive political solidarity.Born in war-ravaged Vietnam, Viet Nguyen arrived in the United States as a child refugee in 1975. The Nguyen family would soon move to San Jose, California, where the author grew up, attending UC Berkeley in the aftermath of the shocking murder of Vincent Chin, which shaped the political sensibilities of a new generation of Asian Americans.The essays here, delivered originally as the prestigious Norton Lectures, proffer a new answer to a classic literary question: What does the outsider mean to literary writing? Over the course of six captivating and moving chapters, Nguyen explores the idea of being an outsider through lenses that are, by turns, literary, historical, political, and familial.Each piece moves between writers who influenced Nguyen’s craft and weaves in the haunting story of his late mother’s mental illness. Nguyen unfolds the novels and nonfiction of Herman Melville, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ralph Ellison, William Carlos Williams, and Maxine Hong Kingston, until aesthetic theories give way to pressing concerns raised by war and politics. What is a writer’s responsibility in a time of violence? Should we celebrate fiction that gives voice to the voiceless—or do we confront the forces that render millions voiceless in the first place? What are the burdens and pleasures of the “minor” writer in any society? Unsatisfied with the modest inclusion accorded to “model minorities” such as Asian Americans, Nguyen sets the agenda for a more radical and disquieting solidarity with those whose lives have been devastated by imperialism and forever wars. Read more

Novelist, critic, essayist, screenwriter, teacher, traveler, and art aficionado, Nicholas Delbanco has here compiled a mosaic of his life as he glances backwards and forwards from the vantage point of his eightieth year. Each home relocation with its inevitable remodeling becomes a metaphor for the reconstruction of the self over his lifetime. In episodic riffs, Still Life at Eighty revisits seven houses where Delbanco welcomed a panoply of literati, such as Mary Ruefle, Mary Lee Settle, Mary Robison, John Ashbery, John Cheever, John Irving, and John Updike. Each abode becomes a receptacle of memory, as he recalls his friendships with the likes of James Baldwin, Grace Paley, Frederick Busch, Donald Barthelme, and Russell Banks.Still Life at Eighty is saturated with artistic appreciation, which colors Delbanco’s life from early childhood to his eightieth year. The grandson of collectors (whose paintings were plundered by the Nazis), nephew of a London gallerist, son of an accomplished painter, and a collector himself, Delbanco summons his reminiscences of art, artifacts, and artists as he pivots from a youthful artistic apprenticeship to become a prolific professional writer, sustained, and inspired by his wife of fifty-three years, Elena; his daughters, Francesca and Andrea; and five granddaughters.Delbanco finds solace in the things of this world: a Biedermeier desk, an Ekoi mask, and an instrument case that held the fabled Countess of Stanlein ex-Paganini Stradivarius Violoncello of 1707—all reminders of a treasured past. Together with these cherished artifacts, former homes, and the myriad writers and artists who slip in and out of this erudite memoir, Still Life at Eighty makes readers privy not only to Delbanco’s rich experiences, but also to the vast aesthetic wealth of his long life. Read more

None

James Baldwin’s critique of American society at the height of the civil rights movement brings his prescient thoughts on social isolation, race, and police brutality to a new generation of readers.Available for the first time in a stand-alone edition, Nothing Personal is Baldwin’s deep probe into the American condition. Considering the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020—which were met with tear gas and rubber bullets the same year white supremacists entered the US Capitol with little resistance, openly toting flags of the Confederacy—Baldwin’s documentation of his own troubled times cuts to the core of where we find ourselves today.Baldwin’s thoughts move through an interconnected range of questions, from America’s fixation on eternal youth, to its refusal to recognize the past, its addiction to consumerism, and the lovelessness that fuels it in its cities and popular culture. He recounts his own encounter with police in a scene disturbingly similar to those we see today documented with ever increasing immediacy. This edition also includes a new foreword from interdisciplinary scholar Imani Perry and an afterword from noted Baldwin scholar Eddie S. Glaude Jr. Both explore and situate the essay within the broader context of Baldwin’s work, the Movement for Black Lives, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the presidency of Donald Trump.Nothing Personal is both a eulogy and a declaration of will. In bringing this work into the twenty-first century, readers new and old will take away fundamental and recurring truths about life in the US. It is both a call to action, and an appeal to love and to life. Read more

Named an "Editors Choice" by The New York Times and a "Best Book of 2014" by Library Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Kansas City Star The "Fresh Air" book critic investigates the enduring power of The Great Gatsby -- "The Great American Novel we all think we've read, but really haven't."Conceived nearly a century ago by a man who died believing himself a failure, it's now a revered classic and a rite of passage in the reading lives of millions. But how well do we really know The Great Gatsby? As Maureen Corrigan, Gatsby lover extraordinaire, points out, while Fitzgerald's masterpiece may be one of the most popular novels in America, many of us first read it when we were too young to fully comprehend its power. Offering a fresh perspective on what makes Gatsby great-and utterly unusual-So We Read On takes us into archives, high school classrooms, and even out onto the Long Island Sound to explore the novel's hidden depths, a journey whose revelations include Gatsby's surprising debt to hard-boiled crime fiction, its rocky path to recognition as a "classic," and its profound commentaries on the national themes of race, class, and gender. With rigor, wit, and infectious enthusiasm, Corrigan inspires us to re-experience the greatness of Gatsby and cuts to the heart of why we are, as a culture, "borne back ceaselessly" into its thrall. Along the way, she spins a new and fascinating story of her own. Read more