58 minute read
● Abrams Press
AN AFGHANISTAN DEPLOYMENT AND ITS AFTERMATH
BY BEN KESLING
A timely, powerful, and sweeping portrait of a company of men who went to war in Afghanistan, their troubled deployment, and their lives in the decade since returning home
Ten years ago, the 100 soldiers of Bravo Company, a combat–hardened parachute infantry regiment, deployed to Afghanistan for a nine–month tour in Kandahar’s notorious Arghandab Valley. During the deployment, three soldiers were killed in action, and a dozen more lost limbs. By the time they went home, an astonishing half of the company had Purple Hearts. But Bravo Company’s story didn’t end when they came home. In the ten years since, two of their members have died by suicide, more than a dozen others have tried, and others admit they’ve considered it. Bravo Company’s traumatic tour and high suicide rate led to its veterans being declared by the Veterans Administration to be at “extraordinary risk” of succumbing to addiction, isolation, and suicide. As a result, the men were chosen as test subjects for a new approach to suicide prevention, focusing less on isolated individuals and more on the group. In Bravo Company, journalist and veteran Ben Kesling tells the story of war and its aftermath through this one representative unit and its men. Written with an insider’s eye and ear, and drawing on extensive interviews and original reporting, Bravo Company follows the men from their initial enlistment, training, and deployment through what has happened in the decade since; as some returned to combat, others moved on with their lives, while others struggled to. And it will chronicle the extraordinary public and private efforts to fix what’s broken, find peace, and build a future. Ben Kesling is a Midwest correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, where he focuses on domestic security and veterans issues. Kesling has a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School, attended the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and previously served as a Marine Corps infantry officer in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is also a two–day Jeopardy! champion. He lives in Chicago with his wife and kids. EXPERT AUTHOR: Kesling is a Marine Corps infantry veteran with combat deployments to Iraq during the surge and later as a foreign–military advisor in Afghanistan. He studied journalism at Northwestern and has been a reporter at the Wall
Street Journal since 2012, covering the Pentagon, Congress, and the VA. TIMELY STORY: Afghanistan is in the news again, and the aftermath of the war, the veteran crisis, PTSD, and mental health issues will stay hot topics through publication, including around the 20th anniversary of the War in Iraq, where Kesling served. A NEW ANGLE: The lives of soldiers and veterans have been written about to much interest, and this book explores a new approach by the VA and a nonprofit to solve a crisis in vets.
SPECIFICATIONS
*320 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm * Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: NOVEMBER
CURRENT EVENTS, SOCIAL
CHANGE, BIOGRAPHY,
MEMOIR
ISBN 978-1-4197-5115-8
US $28.00 CAN $35.00 UK £19.99 ËxHSLELJy751158z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-140-7
A MEMOIR OF QUEER MOTHERHOOD AND BLACK RESISTANCE
BY FRANCESCA ROYSTER
A brilliant literary memoir of chosen family and chosen heritage, told against the backdrop of Chicago’s North and South Sides
As a multiracial household in Chicago’s North Side community of Rogers Park, race is at the core of Francesca Royster and her family's world, influencing everyday acts of parenting and the conception of what family truly means. Like Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts, this lyrical and affecting memoir focuses on a unit of three: the author; her wife Annie, who's white; and Cecilia, the Black daughter they adopt as a couple in their forties and fifties. Choosing Family chronicles this journey to motherhood while examining the messiness and complexity of adoption and parenthood from a Black, queer, and feminist perspective. Royster also explores her memories of the matriarchs of her childhood and the homes these women created in Chicago’s South Side—itself a dynamic character in the memoir—where “family” was fluid, inclusive, and not necessarily defined by marriage or other socially recognized contracts. Calling upon the work of some of her favorite queer thinkers, including José Esteban Muñoz and Audre Lorde, Royster interweaves her experiences and memories with queer and gender theory to argue that many Black families, certainly her own, have historically had a “queer” attitude toward family: configurations that sit outside the white normative experience and are the richer for their flexibility and generosity of spirit. A powerful, genre–bending memoir of family, identity, and acceptance, Choosing Family, ultimately, is about joy—about claiming the joy that society did not intend to assign to you, or to those like you. Francesca Royster is a native of Chicago’s South Side and a professor of English literature at DePaul University in Chicago, where she teaches classes on African American literature and culture, Shakespeare, and gender and queer theory. She is the author of two academic books, Becoming Cleopatra: The Shifting Image of an Icon and Sounding
Like a No–No: Queer Sounds and Eccentric Acts in the Post–Soul Era. She received her PhD in English literature from the University of California, Berkeley. Her essays have appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Chicago Literati, and Feminist Studies, among others. She lives in Chicago.
FILLS A GAP IN THE MARKET:
There is a dearth of memoirs about motherhood written by Black women; Black queer motherhood memoirs are virtually nonexistent. This book is an opportunity to bridge that gap, and Royster is a powerful writer whose motherhood journey will resonate with many readers who do not see themselves represented. AUTHOR CONNECTIONS: The author has a burgeoning network of writers who she will call upon to help with promotion, including Salamishah Tillet, Cheryl L. West, Haki Madhubuti, Nadine Kenney Johnstone, Miles Harvey, and more.
INTERSECTIONAL AND
INTERDISCIPLINARY: Choosing Family combines a powerful personal narrative with queer theory and criticism to discuss adoption and parenthood from a Black, queer, and feminist perspective.
SPECIFICATIONS
*272 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm
*Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: FEBRUARY MEMOIR, LGBT INTEREST, AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
ISBN 978-1-4197-5617-7
US $26.00 CAN $33.00 UK £18.99 ËxHSLELJy756177z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-376-0
ALSO AVAILABLE
The Fixed Stars ISBN 978-1-4197-4299-6
US $25.00 CAN $32.00 UK £17.99
ËxHSLELJy742996z
FOUR TEAMS, TWELVE CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND HOW BOSTON BECAME THE MOST DOMINANT SPORTS CITY IN THE WORLD
BY TONY MASSAROTTI
A celebration of the last two decades of sports success in Boston from the co–host of the #1 sports radio show in New England
Boston is a unique sports city. Unlike New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago, New Englanders’ loyalties are not divided among competing franchises; in the four major American sports, the city has one team each: the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins, and the Patriots. And, as any Boston fan will tell you, that loyalty runs deep. Sports just seem to mean more in New England. Over the last 20 years, those fans have been blessed with an extraordinary run of success, including 12 championships, six runners–up, and many more years of heated contention. In the 21st century, Boston became Titletown. According to Tony Massarotti, longtime Boston sports columnist and host of the #1 sports radio show in New England for the past 10 years, this is not a coincidence. Massarotti’s This Is Our City paints a portrait of the last 20 years in Boston sports, showing how one team’s success has led to the next—how they have fed off each other, tried to one–up one another, and have supported each other. This is an account of an era where successes and failures stitched together the region, all playing out against major events such as 9/11 and the devastating Boston Marathon—which led to a memorably profane speech by David Ortiz, who declared, “This is our f@#king city!” Massarotti’s This Is Our City is a valentine to Boston sports and will be loved by those fans, wherever they now live. As the co–host of Felger & Mazz, the #1 sports radio show in New England with millions of listeners, Boston–based Tony Massarotti has direct dialogue with fans and potential book buyers five hours a day, five days a week. He is enormously well–connected and a huge draw for fans. And he can write. He is, of course, well–known nationally having been a go–to person on the Red Sox during their run during this time.
BIG VOICE IN THE KEY
MARKET: Massarotti is the co–host of Felger & Mazz, the #1 sports radio show in New England, whose listeners are the prime audience for this book. He was a firsthand witness to this whole era and speaks directly to the core readership.
REGIONAL DOMINANCE:
Boston sports fans have been spoiled with 12 championships, and while there have been books on individual teams, nothing else has chronicled this extraordinary era.
POPULAR PERSONALITIES:
Boston sports icons such as Tom Brady, David Ortiz, Kevin Garnett, Milan Lucic, and others have immense appeal in both the Boston sports market and across their entire leagues.
SPECIFICATIONS
*336 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm
*Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: OCTOBER SPORTS
ISBN 978-1-4197-5358-9
US $28.00 CAN $35.00 UK £20.00 ËxHSLELJy753589z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-254-1
ALSO AVAILABLE
Seventeen and Oh ISBN 978-1-4197-4850-9
US $28.00 CAN $35.00 UK £19.99
ËxHSLELJy748509z
INSIDE THE BEAUTIFUL GAME’S ANALYTICS REVOLUTION
BY RYAN O'HANLON
An in–depth examination of the rise of analytics in soccer and the wild experiments unfolding around the world in the beautiful game
Net Gains: Inside the Beautiful Game’s Analytics Revolution takes readers on a tour across the world and throughout soccer history, introducing the many people who have attempted to shine a light onto and innovate a sport that, in many ways, is still stuck in the Dark Ages. This deep dive into the rise of analytics in soccer—a sport where tradition reigns supreme—shows how revolutionary tactics and underexplored metrics are breaking the beautiful game wide open. By exploring how massive institutions built on billions of dollars can function for so long without any kind of introspection—and what happens when people from the outside attempt to question the status quo—author Ryan O'Hanlon, staff writer at ESPN, shows how time and again experts, managers, coaches, players, and fans feel they know the best approach for any given team or player, and yet get undermined by the complexity of the game—and human behavior. To tell this globe–trekking story, O'Hanlon takes readers inside the front offices and analytics departments of the top professional leagues’ most cutting–edge clubs and profiles a misfit cast of number–crunchers, behavioral economists, tech insiders, and managers all working to move beyond the philosophical side of soccer and uncover the hard truths behind possession, goals, and developing talent.
Ryan O'Hanlon is a staff writer at ESPN and host of the podcast Infinite Football. He has contributed to FiveThirtyEight, the New York Times, and GQ, among other publications. His twice–weekly newsletter, No Grass in the Clouds, examines the unknown, analytical side of soccer. He previously served as a senior editor at the Ringer.
CONNECTED AUTHOR:
O’Hanlon is a staff writer for ESPN, has a strong personal platform on social media, and has ties to the Ringer, GQ, FiveThirtyEight, and Shea Serrano.
WORLD CUP TIMING:
Publication will coincide with the hype train leading up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off in November 2022 and goes through December.
MONEYBALL FOR SOCCER:
O’Hanlon offers a groundbreaking, character–rich narrative of how soccer clubs around the world have adopted the analytics revolution that first swept baseball. GLOBAL REACH: Interviews with managers, coaches, and scouts from teams in the Premier League, La Liga, the Bundesliga, and the MLS, as well as multiple national teams give the book international appeal.
SPECIFICATIONS
*272 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm
*Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: OCTOBER SPORTS, BUSINESS, HISTORY, NONFICTION
ISBN 978-1-4197-5891-1
US $27.00 CAN $34.00 UK £20.00 ËxHSLELJy758911z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-555-9
ALSO AVAILABLE
How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius ISBN 978-1-4197-4480-8
US $28.00 CAN $35.00 UK £19.99 ËxHSLELJy744808z
LIFE IN FIRST PERSON
BY JOHN ROMERO
The inspiring, long–awaited autobiography of video game designer and DOOM cocreator John Romero
DOOM Guy: Life in First Person is the long–awaited autobiography of John Romero, gaming’s original rock star and the cocreator of DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein—some of the most recognizable and important titles in video game history. Credited with the invention of the first–person shooter, a genre that continues to dominate the market today, he is gaming royalty. Told in remarkable detail, a byproduct of his hyperthymesia, Romero recounts his storied career—from his early days submitting Apple II code to computer magazines and sneaking computers out of the back door of his day job to do programming projects at night in his garage to a high–profile falling out with his id Software cofounder John Carmack, as well as his continued role in the gaming industry today as the managing director of Romero Games Ltd. His story is truly one of a self–made man, founding multiple companies after a childhood filled with violence and abuse drove him to video game design, where he could create new worlds and places to escape to. An alcoholic father, a racist grandfather who did not approve of Romero’s parents’ mixed–race coupling, and a grandmother who once ran a brothel in Mexico combine for an illuminating story his youth—a story that has never before been revealed. After years in the gaming spotlight, Romero is now telling his story—THE WHOLE STORY—in his own words. Computer and video game legend John Romero has designed and published more than 130 games since his first sale at the age of sixteen. A teenage programming prodigy, his major achievements include coinventing a series of revolutionary computer games–DOOM, Quake, Wolfenstein 3D, and Commander Keen–that launched the industry's most popular genre, the first–person shooter. He lives in Galway, Ireland.
DEDICATED FOLLOWING:
Romero has legions of fans that flock to him for signings at cons across the world. He boasts a healthy 135,000 Twitter followers—with whom he has incredibly high engagement—and more than one million gamers have downloaded his latest DOOM mod, SIGIL.
NEVER–BEFORE–TOLD
STORIES: Sharing rare insights into his childhood, the early days of iD’s founding, and the creation of DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein 3D, Romero will reveal, in his own words, the true story of the rock–star era of nineties video game development. MAJOR LEGACY: Romero is the cocreator of DOOM, one of the most popular video game franchises of all time, and is credited with creating gaming’s most popular genre, the first–person shooter. He is a true innovator who has pushed the boundaries of gaming for decades and has continued to do so at his own studio, Romero Games. MEDIA INTEREST: Romero’s platform will continue to grow with the arrival of the soon–to–be released TV adaptation of Masters of DOOM. Eduardo Franco (American Vandal, Booksmart) will play Romero on the USA series produced by actor–brothers James and David Franco.
SPECIFICATIONS
*288 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm
*Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: NOVEMBER BIOGRAPHY, COMPUTERS, GAMES, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING
ISBN 978-1-4197-5811-9
US $27.00 CAN $34.00 UK £20.00 ËxHSLELJy758119z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-536-8
RADICAL COMPOSERS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
BY KATE MOLLESON
An alternative history of 20th–century composers—nearly all of them women or composers of color—by a leading international music critic
Think of a composer right now. Was it a white man? Perhaps in old–fashioned clothing and wild hair? The music history we're told is one dominated by men, and even then, only a select few enter the zeitgeist. This conventional history perpetuates the myth of “great works” created by “genius” artists. Men who enjoyed institutional privilege during their lifetimes and have since been enshrined by an industry of publishers and record labels. But just because we haven’t heard of spectacular female composers, doesn’t mean they weren’t creating music all the same. Profiling a dozen pioneering 20th–century composers—including American modernist Ruth Crawford Seeger (mother of Pete and Peggy Seeger), French electronic artist Eliane Radigue, Soviet visionary Galina Ustvolskaya, and Ethiopian pianist Emahoy Tsegué–Maryam Guebrou—acclaimed journalist and BBC broadcaster Kate Molleson reexamines the canon while bringing to life largely forgotten sonic revolutionaries whose dramatic lives and bursts of creativity played out against a backdrop of seismic geopolitical and social change. These composers, working at a remove from London, Paris, Vienna, and New York, were sidelined and ignored for systemic, structural reasons. This is a landmark alternative history of 20th–century composers; a radical, new, and truly global work of revisionist history. It is a campaigning book that challenges the status quo while introducing you to a world of groundbreaking music. Kate Molleson is a journalist and broadcaster and one of the UK’s leading commentators on contemporary classical music. She was a classical music critic for the Guardian for seven years and deputy editor of Opera magazine. She currently presents BBC Radio 3’s New Music Show and Music Matters. She has presented documentaries for BBC4 and BBC World Service, and she teaches music journalism at the Darmstadt and Dartington international summer schools. Molleson grew up in various parts of Scotland and the far north of Canada, and studied clarinet performance at McGill University in Montreal and musicology at King’s College London, where she researched the operas of Ezra Pound. She lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. TRENDING TOPIC: Readers are hungry for more revisionist histories that show the talented, fascinating figures left out of traditional narratives. Sound
Within Sound is Hidden Figures
meets Alex Ross’s bestselling book on 20th–century composition, The Rest is Noise. SOLID READERSHIP: Books on classical music and classical composers have always had a consistent audience, and this is written to draw in a wider readership as well. EXPERT AUTHOR: Molleson was a classical music critic for the Guardian for seven years and deputy editor of Opera magazine. She currently hosts BBC Radio 3’s New Music Show
and Music Matters.
SPECIFICATIONS
*30 black-and-white photographs *320 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm
*Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: NOVEMBER MUSIC, BIOGRAPHY, HISTORY
ISBN 978-1-4197-5356-5
US $30.00 ËxHSLELJy753565z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-253-4
BY GREG MELVILLE
A lively tour through the history of US cemeteries that explores how, where, and why we bury our dead
The summer before his senior year in college, Greg Melville worked at the cemetery in his hometown, and thanks to hour upon hour of pushing a mower over the grassy acres, he came to realize what a rich story the place told of his town and its history. Thus was born Melville’s lifelong curiosity with how, where, and why we bury and commemorate our dead. Melville’s Over My Dead Body is a lively (pun intended) and wide–ranging history of cemeteries, places that have mirrored the passing eras in history but have also shaped it. Cemeteries have given birth to landscape architecture and famous parks, as well as influenced architectural styles. They’ve inspired and motivated some of our greatest poets and authors—Emerson, Whitman, Dickinson. They’ve been used as political tools to shift the country’s discourse and as important symbols of the United States’ ambition and reach. But they are changing and fading. Embalming and burial is incredibly toxic, and while cremations have just recently surpassed burials in popularity, they’re not great for the environment either. Over My Dead Body explores everything— history, sustainability, land use, and more—and what it really means to memorialize. Greg Melville has worked as an outdoor journalist and a former editor at Men’s Journal and Hearst magazines. He has strong connections with magazines and newspapers, and his writing has appeared in Outside, National
Geographic Traveler, Men’s Health, and the Boston Globe Magazine. His work was also listed in The Best American
Sportswriting 2017. He is a decorated veteran who served in Afghanistan and is in the Navy Reserve, where he is a public affairs officer, with the rank of lieutenant commander. He has taught English and writing at the United States Naval Academy, where he was given the school’s Instructor of the Year Award in 2019, and journalism at St. Michael’s College in Vermont. He lives with his wife and two kids in Delaware. READERSHIP: Since Mary Roach’s Stiff, which has sold close to one million copies since 2003, books that tackle death in smart and quirky ways have seen considerable success. However, no one has tackled cemeteries, places that are a part of all our communities and our lives. EXCELLENT AUTHOR: Melville is a deft and funny writer, covering a wide range of topics—from the introduction of embalming to the history of racially segregated cemeteries. Melville’s journey spans coast to coast, and the wide–ranging topics and locales should make this book a natural fit for national and regional public radio and print coverage.
CEMETERIES AS HISTORY:
Melville centers cemeteries within a larger cultural history: He notes how cemeteries acted as our first city parks and art galleries, some of our earliest conservation projects, symbols for expressions of religious freedom, and the creation of suburban subdivisions, among other reasons. Melville also looks at cemeteries standing as historical records to key US events, including the Civil War, Chinese Americans building the American West, the creation of Central Park, and the birth of the modern death industrial complex.
SPECIFICATIONS
*30 black-and-white photographs *272 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm
*Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: OCTOBER HISTORY, NONFICTION, TRAVEL
ISBN 978-1-4197-5485-2
US $26.00 CAN $33.00 ËxHSLELJy754852z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-304-3
A HISTORY OF AMERICA IN 11 PIES
BY ROSSI ANASTOPOULO
A delicious and delightful narrative history of pie in America, from the colonial era through the civil rights movement and beyond
From the pumpkin pie gracing the Thanksgiving table to the apple pie at the Fourth of July picnic, nearly every American shares a certain nostalgia for a simple circle of crust and filling. But America’s history with pie has not always been so sweet. After all, it was a slice of cherry pie at the Woolworth’s lunch counter on a cool February afternoon that helped to spark the Greensboro sit–ins and ignited a wave of anti–segregation protests across the South during the civil rights movement. Molasses pie, meanwhile, captures the legacies of racial trauma and oppression passed down from America's history of slavery, and Jell–O pie exemplifies the pressures and contradictions of gender roles in an evolving modern society. We all know the warm comfort of the so–called “All–American” apple pie . . . but just how did pie become the symbol of a nation? In Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies, food writer Rossi Anastopoulo cracks open our relationship to pie with wit and good humor. For centuries, pie has been a malleable icon, co–opted for new social and political purposes. Here, Anastopoulo traces the pies woven into our history, following the evolution of our country across centuries of innovation and change. With corresponding recipes for each chapter and sidebars of quirky facts throughout, Sweet Land of Liberty is an entertaining, informative, and utterly charming food history for bakers, dessert lovers, and history aficionados alike. Ultimately, the story of pie is the story of America itself, and it’s time to dig in. Rossi Anastopoulo is an award–winning writer whose work has appeared in TASTE, Saveur, Food52, Bon Appetit, and Eaten Magazine. In 2019 she was the recipient of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Award for Narrative Food Writing for her piece on the bean pie and the Nation of Islam. She works as the blog editor for King Arthur Baking Company and is based in Los Angeles. INCLUDES RECIPES: Historic pie recipes conclude each chapter of Sweet Land of Liberty, allowing readers to bake through 400 years of history.
HOLIDAY GIFT POTENTIAL:
With a gifty package timed to publish ahead of Thanksgiving, Sweet Land of Liberty will make a perfect holiday gift for pie bakers (and eaters). STRONG CATEGORY: Pie books tend to be strong sellers in the food and drink category, and we expect the excitement and sales potential will cross into the narrative format as well
AUTHOR PLATFORM:
Anastopoulo is very well–connected within the food scene through her job in culinary PR as a blog editor for King Arthur Baking Company, both in Los Angeles, where she’s based, and in the South; she’s originally from Charleston, where her family still lives, and she’s written for Garden & Gun and has connections with the editors at Gravy.
SPECIFICATIONS
*15-20 line illustrations *272 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm
*Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: OCTOBER FOOD NARRATIVE, HISTORY
ISBN 978-1-4197-5487-6
US $25.00 CAN $32.00 UK £17.99 ËxHSLELJy754876z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-305-0
ALSO AVAILABLE
Pie for Everyone ISBN 978-1-4197-4758-8
US $29.99 CAN $37.99 UK £21.99
ËxHSLELJy747588z
ADVENTURES IN THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FASTING
BY STEVE HENDRICKS
A journalist takes readers into the science and history of intermittent fasting, an ancient practice in the middle of a red–hot resurgence, exploring the body’s power to heal itself
One in 10 American adults tried intermittent fasting last year, and they may be on to something. The latest research shows that fasting repairs cellular damage, improves the outcomes for chemotherapy patients, and helps with keeping a healthy weight—leading to fasting's resurgence in recent years. Journalist Steve Hendricks’s The Oldest Cure in the World tells the history of fasting—from the ancient world (Jesus treated an epileptic with fasting) to its rediscovery centuries later, thanks in part to a heartbroken doctor who resolved to starve himself to death only to find renewed vigor and become a media celebrity in the process. Hendricks introduces us to the people who are reviving this long–lost remedy, including open–minded doctors who have explored and practiced fasting despite the medical establishment's resistance over the centuries and everyday people eager for a cure to what ails them. The Oldest Cure in the World is a smart, narrative look at a very hot topic, offering a fascinating look at the science behind the counterintuitive concept of going without food for our health, and chronicling the author’s own illuminating and entertaining forays into fasting. Steve Hendricks is a freelance reporter and the author of two previous books, A Kidnapping in Milan
and The Unquiet Grave. He has written for Harpers, Slate, Salon, Outside, the Columbia Journalism
Review, and The New Republic, among others. He was raised in Arkansas and Texas, educated at Yale, and lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife, a law professor, and a teenage son. HOT SUBJECT: Intermittent fasting is one of the hottest subjects in health and diet these days, and this is a definitive book that is rich in history, science, and personal stories. GREAT VOICE: In the tradition of Mary Roach and Michael Pollan, Hendricks mixes smart science with personal experience, all told in an engaging voice.
EXPERIENCED AUTHOR:
Hendricks has written for many leading publications and is the author of two previous well–reviewed books on serious subjects. CONVINCING CASE: You’ll never look at what (and when) you eat the same way again.
SPECIFICATIONS
*464 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm
*Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: SEPTEMBER
ISBN 978-1-4197-4847-9
US $30.00 CAN $38.00 UK £21.99 ËxHSLELJy748479z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-002-8
ALSO AVAILABLE
Technically Food ISBN 978-1-4197-4709-0
US $27.00 CAN $34.00 UK £18.99
ËxHSLELJy747090z
FINDING CONNECTION IN AN AGE OF ISOLATION
BY KIM SAMUEL
An exploration of the power of belonging in an age of social isolation, drawing on lessons from innovative leaders, individuals, and organizations to show how we can create lives and communities centered on human connection
What does it mean to belong? Today we’re at an inflection point. Stress, disconnection, and increasing environmental degradation have people yearning for more than just material progress, legal liberty, or political stability. We are yearning for deeper connection. We are longing to belong. In On Belonging, Kim Samuel explores our current crisis and maps out four dimensions of belonging: in our relationships with other people, in our rootedness in nature, in our ability to influence political and economic decision–making, and in our finding of meaning and purpose in our lives. An expert on the subject and an advocate with strong international ties, Samuel introduces readers to innovators around the world who are cultivating belonging. Whether it’s through sports, music, education, mental health, cultural traditions, or the environment, they are healing a rift and offer lessons in how every one of us can create a world where we feel at home. As an activist, professor, and social investor, Kim Samuel has been on the frontlines of today's movement for belonging. She is the founder of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, President of the Samuel Family Foundation, and an academic lecturer at institutions including Oxford, Harvard, and McGill universities. A pioneer in academic study and policy advocacy on issues of social isolation and belonging, Samuel combines research, writing, teaching, and direct programmatic work to support communities in overcoming diverse social, economic, and environmental challenges in the 21st century. She lives in Toronto.
MORE IMPORTANT THAN
EVER: Even before the pandemic, loneliness and social isolation were major problems, and they’ve only gotten worse. This book will show what belonging is, why it matters, and how innovators are fostering it around the world. CONNECTED AUTHOR: Samuel is a powerhouse, an international leader and philanthropist whose foundation supports this work. She is well–connected to experts and influential figures across many fields. MAJOR CAMPAIGN: Publication will coincide with a Global Symposium on Belonging, hosted by the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness. Samuel, recently named the first–ever Fulbright Ambassador for Inclusion and Social Connectedness, has been invited on a tour to universities and consulates under their auspices, and additional outside publicity will be part of the campaign. HOT TOPIC: LinkedIn, Harvard University, Nordstrom, HubSpot, and a diverse group of companies and institutions have launched new executive roles with titles including director of “diversity, inclusion, and belonging” or VP of “global culture, belonging, and people growth.” Belonging is the topic of major industry conferences and political campaigns.
SPECIFICATIONS
*304 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm
*Hardcover with jacket
PUB MONTH: SEPTEMBER
ISBN 978-1-4197-5303-9
US $26.00 CAN $33.00 UK £18.99 ËxHSLELJy753039z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-231-2
WHY PLEA BARGAINING IS A BAD DEAL
BY CARISSA BYRNE HESSICK
From a prominent criminal law professor, a provocative and timely exploration of how plea bargaining prevents true criminal justice reform and how we can fix it— now in paperback
When Americans think of the criminal justice system, the image that comes to mind is a trial–a standard court-room scene with a defendant, attorneys, a judge, and most important, a jury. It's a fair assumption. The right to a trial by jury is enshrined in both the body of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It's supposed to be the foundation that undergirds our entire justice system. But in Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining Is a Bad Deal, University of North Carolina law professor Carissa Byrne Hessick shows that the popular conception of a jury trial couldn’t be further from reality. That bedrock constitutional right has all but disappeared thanks to the unstoppable march of plea bargaining, which began to take hold during Prohibition and has skyrocketed since 1971, when it was affirmed as constitutional by the Supreme Court. Nearly every aspect of our criminal justice system encourages defendants–whether they're innocent or guilty–to take a plea deal. Punishment Without Trial showcases how plea bargaining has undermined justice at every turn and across socioeconomic and racial divides. It forces the hand of lawyers, judges, and defendants, turning our legal system into a ruthlessly efficient mass incarceration machine that is dogging our jails and punishing citizens because it’s the path of least resistance. Professor Hessick makes the case against plea bargaining as she illustrates how it has damaged our justice system while presenting an innovative set of reforms for how we can fix it. An impassioned, urgent argument about the future of criminal justice reform, Punishment Without Trial will change the way you view the criminal justice system. Carissa Byrne Hessick is the Ransdell Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she also serves as the director of the Prosecutors and Politics Project. Previously, she taught at the law schools of Arizona State, Harvard, and the University of Utah. Her work on the criminal justice system has been published by the Los Angeles Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Slate, and numerous academic journals. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. HOT TOPIC: Criminal justice reform is an incredibly popular political topic, and books such as The New Jim Crow, Charged, Are Prisons Obsolete?, and Make Change have cast a new, critical light on our criminal justice system. Punishment Without
Trial has the potential to do the same.
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE:
Punishment Without Trial breaks new ground by analyzing an essential aspect of this broken system for the first time and proposing realistic solutions that can offer real reform. EXPERT AUTHOR: In addition to her outstanding academic and legal career, Hessick has written on the criminal justice system for the Los Angeles Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Slate, the Atlantic, and numerous academic journals.
SPECIFICATIONS
*15 color images *288 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 229mm
*Paperback
PUB MONTH: SEPTEMBER CURRENT EVENTS
ISBN 978-1-4197-5030-4
US $17.00 CAN $20.00 UK £10.99 ËxHSLELJy750304z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-103-2
A MEMOIR
BY GENESIS P-ORRIDGE WITH TIM MOHR
A revealing and beautifully open memoir from pioneering industrial music artist, visual artist, and transgender icon Genesis P–Orridge—now in paperback
Praise for Nonbinary
“Genesis P–Orridge’s memoir Nonbinary. . . is most rich when they are describing their early years. . . . This was a complete rejection of lessons learned at their ultra–conservative, hyper–masculine English boarding school. But Genesis did not stop there.” ––Vice
“An entertaining and thoughtful book about a remarkable life that consistently embraced transformation.” ––Kirkus Reviews
“Part narrative, part philosophy, this outré memoir is a remarkable experience.” ––Booklist
“A musician, writer, and visual and performance artist, Genesis P–Orridge’s first–person voice is theatrical yet accessible. . .” ––AV Club
“P–Orridge never succumbed to despair in death, instead speaking triumphantly of good fortune in life. ‘Ideas ultimately win,’ s/he writes, leaving behind a legacy of new meaning.” ––Hyperallergic
In this groundbreaking book spanning decades of artistic risk–taking, the inventor of “industrial music,” founder of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV, and world–renowned fine artist with COUM Transmissions Genesis P–Orridge (1950–2020) takes us on a journey searching for identity and their true self. It is the story of a life of creation and destruction, where Genesis P–Orridge reveals their unwillingness to be stuck—stuck in one place, in one genre, or in one gender. Nonbinary is Genesis’s final work and is shared with hopes of being an inspiration to the newest generation of trailblazers and nonconformists. Nonbinary is the intimate story of Genesis’s life, weaving the narrative of their history in COUM Transmissions, Throbbing Gristle, and Psychic TV. It also covers growing up in World War II’s fallout in Britain, contributing to the explosion of new music and radical art in the 1960s, and destroying visual and artistic norms throughout their entire life. In addition to being a captivating memoir of a singular artist and musician, Nonbinary is also an inside look at one of our most remarkable cultural lives that will be an inspiration to fans of industrial music, performance art, the occult, and a life in the arts.
Genesis Breyer P–orridge (1950–2020) was a legendary singer–songwriter, musician, writer, occultist, cultural engineer, and visual artist. P–Orridge rose to notoriety as the founder of the COUM Transmissions art collective, which operated in Britain from 1969 to 1976. P–Orridge cofounded and fronted the pioneering industrial band Throbbing Gristle and the experimental multi–media outfit Psychic TV, paralleled by P–Orridge’s cofounding of the communal network Temple Ov Psychick Youth. In 1996 P–Orridge and partner Lady Jaye embarked on the Pandrogyne Project, a living art concept that blended physical and psychological mediums, creating the unified “Breyer P–Orridge.” In recent years, P–Orridge performed with their spoken word project Thee Majesty, which in the past included such collaborators as William S. Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Timothy Leary, Monte Cazazza, Aaron Dilloway, Merz–bow, Tony Conrad, and countless others. P–Orridge also continued performing sold–out shows all over the world with PTV3, an iteration of Psychic TV that spanned almost two decades. Over the past 50 years, P–Orridge’s artworks have been exhibited in hundreds of museums and galleries across the world, cementing P–Orridge’s prolific career of contributions to Fluxus, mail art, collage, sound poetry, and conceptual art. The archives of Genesis P–Orridge were acquired for the permanent collection of London’s Tate Britain in 2010. FINAL WORK: P–Orridge finished work on Nonbinary shortly before their death in March 2020. CULT ICON: P–Orridge was at the forefront of visual and music movements since the 1960s. Their death was covered by the New York Times, the Guardian, Rolling Stone, and other prominent publications. GREAT STORIES: The book has incredibly rich stories about P–Orridge’s experiences with icons like William Burroughs and Ian Curtis, and is full of more of these never–before–heard stories.
SPECIFICATIONS
*30 black-and-white and color photographs *352 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 229mm
*Paperback
PUB MONTH: OCTOBER MEMOIR, LGBT INTEREST, MUSIC
ISBN 978-1-4197-4977-3
US $18.00 CAN $22.00 UK £12.99 ËxHSLELJy749773z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-018-9
A MEMOIR IN FOURTEEN INGREDIENTS
BY PETER HOFFMAN
A culinary pioneer blends memoir with a joyful inquiry into the ingredients he uses and their origins—now in paperback
Praise for What’s Good?
“In What’s Good? Peter Hoffman has transformed his delicious, ethically sourced cooking into an inspiring book; I feel as though a friend has taken me by the hand and walked me through the market, sharing all the secrets of the harvest.” —Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse “What’s Good? is a passionate retracing of the tastes, textures, histories, and emotions that lie behind Savoy’s brilliance. Woven together as a gentle ramble and Proust–like with its exquisite attention to detail, Hoffman’s book is an ode to all seasons and a passionate call for a better way of bringing food to the table.” —Paul Greenberg, author of Four Fish and American Catch
“A splendid read that makes you reflect.” —Nik Sharma, author of The Flavor Equation and columnist for Serious Eats, the Guardian, and Food52
“I mourn having squandered my chance to experience Hoffman’s cooking, and to time–travel to a magical era of possibility in a SoHo that no longer existed beyond Savoy’s corner windows. Fortunately, like a pickler packing cucumbers and tomatoes with salt into ceramic crocks to be enjoyed long after the season has ended, Hoffman’s What’s Good? preserves the messy, wild beauty of that moment for others to enjoy.” —Tablet What goes into the making of a chef, a restaurant, a dish? And if good ingredients make a difference on the plate, what makes them good in the first place? In his highly anticipated first book, influential chef Peter Hoffman offers thoughtful and delectable answers to these questions. “A locavore before the word existed” (New York Times), Hoffman tells the story of his upbringing, professional education, and evolution as a chef and restaurant owner through its components —everything from the importance of your relationship with your refrigerator repairman and an account of how a burger killed his restaurant, to his belief in peppers as a perfect food, one that is adaptable to a wide range of cultural tastes and geographic conditions and reminds us to be glad we are alive. Along with these personal stories from a life in restaurants, Hoffman braids in passionately curious explorations into the cultural, historical, and botanical backstories of the foods we eat. Beginning with a spring maple sap run and ending with the late–season, frost–defying vegetables, he follows the progress of the seasons and their reflections in his greenmarket favorites, moving ingredient to ingredient through the bounty of the natural world. Hoffman meets with farmers and vendors and unravels the magic of what we eat, deepening every cook’s appreciation for what’s on their kitchen counter. What’s Good? is a layered, insightful, and utterly enjoyable meal. Chef Peter Hoffman is the curious cook’s cook. As the former chef–owner of Savoy and Back Forty restaurants, he trailblazed farm–to–table cooking in New York City. His opinion pieces have been published in the New York Times, Edible Manhattan, and Food & Wine. Hoffman served on the boards of the Greenmarket and Chefs Collaborative and received the Slow Food NYC Snailblazer Award. On most market days he can be found on his bicycle, foraging the Union Square Greenmarket for the best in seasonal ingredients and partaking in its “village green” community life. BACK TO THE BASICS: Think of this as a food world version of Hope Jahren’s Lab Girl. It’s a fascinating, in–depth exploration of the science, history, and kitchen use of ingredients (strawberries, skate wings, rosemary, etc.) mixed with the education and life of a chef. PROMINENT AUTHOR: Called “a locavore before the word existed” by the New York Times, Hoffman is deeply connected in the food world—he was owner–chef at the celebrated Savoy in New York City’s SoHo for more than 20 years, has sat on important boards, and won the Snailblazer Award from Slow Food NYC. A DELICIOUS READ: Alice Waters said What’s Good? is inspiring, like a walk through the market with a best friend.
SPECIFICATIONS
*352 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 229mm * Paperback
PUB MONTH: OCTOBER
FOOD NARRATIVE,
MEMOIR, FOOD & WINE
ISBN 978-1-4197-6234-5
US $17.00 CAN $22.00 UK £11.99 ËxHSLELJy762345z
CARTON QTY: 24
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-009-7
INSIDE THE ICONIC SHOW, FROM BLERG TO EGOT
BY MIKE ROE
A fascinating and hilarious deep dive into 30 Rock, Tina Fey's beloved modern classic comedy
Praise for The 30 Rock Book
“It’s a miracle when a TV show works. Mike Roe gives us a terrific behind–the–scenes look at one of the greatest television comedies ever. I devoured it in a jealous rage.” —Bradley Whitford “Not only a fascinating behind–the–scenes look at one of the best sitcoms of this century, but also a testament to just how much hard work goes into making great television. For fans of 30 Rock––and comedy TV in general––it’s a must–read.” —David Rabinowitz, Oscar winner and cowriter of BlacKkKlansman
“30 Rock is undoubtedly one of the greatest sitcoms in history, and its complete story has finally been told, thanks to this riveting book. A must–read for any fan of the show.” —Andy Greene, author of The Office:
The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s:
An Oral History
In the fall of 2006, NBC somehow unveiled two new shows set in the world of late–night sketch comedy: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and 30 Rock. It was Aaron Sorkin versus Tina Fey, and it was clear which series critics thought was more promising. The Baltimore Sun called it a competition 30 Rock “can’t win.” By November, the New York Times was noting lackluster ratings for both shows, and adding that 30 Rock was “perilously close to a flop.” But while Studio 60 was canceled after 22 episodes, Fey’s madcap buddy comedy lasted 138 episodes. It resurrected the career of Alec Baldwin, survived an extended absence by Tracy Morgan, and permeated the culture— it’s breakneck pacing, oddball characters, and extremely rich joke writing are deeply beloved by millions of fans. In this combination of narrative and oral history, culture writer and editor Mike Roe brings to life the history of the gloriously goofy show through interviews with the creators, stars, writers, and bit players. Mike Roe has been a journalist for the past 12 years, working in both digital and radio for NPR station KPCC. He’s currently the arts & entertainment editor for KPCC’s digital site LAist, and recently won an L.A. Press Club award for a popular oral history of 30 Rock’s “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah” song. His other oral histories include a look at Parks and Recreation’s “Galentine’s Day,” as well as a more dramatic piece on Blade Runner and its connections to Los Angeles. He has written and performed comedy around Los Angeles as part of several theater sketch comedy teams, including house teams at iO West and the Pack Theater, and has written and produced comedy videos that have been featured on Funny or Die. He lives in Los Angeles.
TRIED AND TRUE CATEGORY:
With books such as Seinfeldia
and Generation Friends, as well as our own titles The Soprano
Sessions and Mad Men Carousel
—not to mention the recent rise in popularity of TV show–recap podcasts like Fake Doctors, Real
Friends, and Showmance—it’s clear that audiences are hungry to learn more about their favorite shows. POPULAR SHOW: 30 Rock ran for 138 episodes over seven seasons from 2006 to 2013 and has endured—it is still well–loved today and streams on Hulu, Peacock, and Amazon Prime. VOICES OF THE CAST: The book is based on extensive research and a host of interviews with cast, writers, directors, and crew.
ANNIVERSARY TIE–IN:
October 2021 marks the 15th anniversary of the start of the show.
SPECIFICATIONS
*304 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 229mm
*Paperback
PUB MONTH: SEPTEMBER
ISBN 978-1-4197-5045-8
US $17.00 CAN $22.00 UK £11.99 ËxHSLELJy750458z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-109-4
A MEMOIR
BY BILLY PORTER
From the incomparable Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner, a powerful and revealing autobiography about race, sexuality, art, and healing—now in paperback
Praise for Unprotected
“In Unprotected, Porter’s voice on the page aptly matches his go–for–broke vocal instrument. He holds little back, never shying from raw emotionality, but avoiding histrionics. . . . This is not just a memoir, saints; this is a testimony.” —New York Times Book
Review
“Stirring . . . not just a show business tell–all . . . though there’s a full helping of that . . . Porter delivers a searing indictment of how America treats race, sexuality and anyone outside the norm. Clear and piercing, his justified indignation is as defined as his singular singing voice and flashy fashion.” —Washington Post
“Bold, hilarious, honest, and singular. Words once assigned to Billy as an entertainer will now be attributed to him as a writer. Unprotected is a record of survival, commitment to authenticity, and healing; a road map out of hell.” —Leslie Odom, Jr. “There is only one Billy Porter. He is blazing a trail where none existed. Whether you noticed the brilliant blaze early (for me, it was his brilliant 2005 live album, At the Corner of Broadway and Soul) or his transcendent portrayal of Lola in Kinky Boots or the unforgettable Pray Tell on Pose, once you see the light, there’s no going back. And it turns out his voice rings just as true on the page as it does on the stage. How lucky we are to witness it in our time.” —Lin–Manuel Miranda “Angels show us the way through even the darkest tunnels. In this heartbreaking and hilarious tell–ALL, Billy lights a torch so bright he can save us all!” —Renee Elise Goldsberry It’s easy to be yourself when who and what you are is in vogue. But growing up Black and gay in America has never been easy. Before Billy Porter was slaying red carpets and giving an iconic Emmy–winning performance in the celebrated TV show Pose; before he was the groundbreaking Tony and Grammy Award–winning star of Broadway’s Kinky Boots; and before he was an acclaimed recording artist, actor, playwright, director, and all–around legend, Porter was a young boy in Pittsburgh who was seen as different, who didn’t fit in. At five years old, Porter was sent to therapy to “fix” his effeminacy. He was endlessly bullied at school, sexually abused by his stepfather, and criticized at his church. Porter came of age in a world where simply being himself was a constant struggle. Billy Porter’s Unprotected is the life story of a singular artist and survivor in his own words. It is the story of a boy whose talent and courage opened doors for him, but only a crack. It is the story of a teenager discovering himself, learning his voice and his craft amid deep trauma. And it is the story of a young man whose unbreakable determination led him through countless hard times to where he is now; a proud icon who refuses to back down or hide. Porter is a multitalented, multifaceted treasure at the top of his game, and Unprotected is a resonant, inspirational story of trauma and healing, shot through with his singular voice. Billy Porter is an actor, singer, director, composer, and playwright from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is the winner of the 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Pray Tell in Pose–the first openly gay Black man to be nominated and win in any lead acting category. Porter is also the winner of the 2013 Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for his groundbreaking performance as Lola in Kinky Boots. As a director, among other shows, Porter helmed the revival of Suzan–Lori Parks’s Topdog/Underdog at Boston’s Huntington Theatre, where he was awarded the Elliot Norton Award for Best Director. He lives in New York.
MAJOR CULTURAL FIGURE:
Porter is an international superstar, a captivating figure whose every career move and awards show outfit are chronicled by the press. His feature film directorial debut is set for a 2022 release, as is a new album from Republic Records/Universal.
MESMERIZING WRITING:
Porter’s unique voice and sense of humor shine through this intense chronicle of abuse, artistic development, and triumph. BIG HIT IN HARDCOVER: The hardcover edition has sold more than 50,000 copies, and was featured on The Late Show with
Stephen Colbert, Good Morning
America, The Tonight Show, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR’s Fresh Air, ABC News, The Drew
Barrymore Show, and many other outlets.
SPECIFICATIONS
*288 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm
*Paperback
PUB MONTH: OCTOBER AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
ISBN 978-1-4197-4620-8
US $18.00 CAN $23.00 UK £12.99 ËxHSLELJy746208z
ebook ISBN 978-1-68335-954-8
HOW TO STOP A MASS SHOOTING EPIDEMIC
BY JILLIAN PETERSON, PHD, AND JAMES DENSLEY, PHD
An examination of the phenomenon of mass shootings in America and an urgent call to implement evidence–based strategies to stop these tragedies—now in paperback
Praise for The Violence Project
“One of the most comprehensive studies of the subject.” —Wall Street Journal
“This is a thorough, groundbreaking work . . . A gripping book that will captivate anyone seeking to understand why mass shootings occur and what might be done to recognize and intervene with potential shooters before they act.” —Library Journal, starred review “A distressing, critical study in the understanding, processing, and prevention of mass–casualty gun violence.” —Kirkus Reviews
“. . . an essential read.” —The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences “The Violence Project work is a statement of hope in a time when it is easy to feel that Americans have become so inured to gun violence that we simply accept it as standard operating procedure.” —Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism Using data from the writers’ groundbreaking research on mass shooters, including first–person accounts from the perpetrators themselves, The Violence Project charts new pathways to prevention and innovative ways to stop the social contagion of violence. Frustrated by reactionary policy conversations that never seemed to convert into meaningful action, special investigator and psychologist Jill Peterson and sociologist James Densley built The Violence Project, the first comprehensive database of mass shooters. Their goal was to establish the root causes of mass shootings and figure out how to stop them by examining hundreds of data points in the life histories of more than 170 mass shooters—from their childhood and adolescence to their mental health and motives. They’ve also interviewed the living perpetrators of mass shootings and people who knew them, shooting survivors, victims’ families, first responders, and leading experts to gain a comprehensive firsthand understanding of the real stories behind them, rather than the sensationalized media narratives that too often prevail. For the first time, instead of offering thoughts and prayers for the victims of these crimes, Peterson and Densley share their data–driven solutions for exactly what we must do, at the individual level, in our communities, and as a country, to put an end to these tragedies that have defined our modern era.
Jillian Peterson, PhD, is a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Hamline University. She has led large–scale research studies on mental illness and crime, school shootings, and mass violence. James Densley, PhD, is a professor of criminal justice at Metropolitan State University, which is part of the Minnesota State system. He is known for his international work on gangs, criminal networks, violent extremism, and policing. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Peterson and Densley run The Violence Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research center known worldwide for its work on mass–shooting prevention. The Violence Project has been featured on CNN and Fox News, as well as in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and other leading media outlets. MODERN PROBLEM: Las Vegas, Pulse, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Stoneman Douglas High School, and Columbine— these horrific events are a grim fixture of everyday American life. Mass shootings have impacted us in a way few other events have. MODERN SOLUTION: The authors have built the largest and most comprehensive database of mass shooters in the United States. They have done this by conducting hundreds of interviews with those affected by the events, including the perpetrators. This exclusive data has given them a unique perspective on these events. A BOOK FOR EVERYONE: By using data in their approach, our authors are removing Second Amendment politics from the conversation. The public— whether you consider yourself pro– or anti–Second Amendment —is hungry to understand mass shootings in a more profound way. EXPERTS: Peterson and Densley have been profiled in newspapers and featured on television and public radio. They are essential voices on this all–too–urgent issue.
SPECIFICATIONS
*240 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 229mm
*Paperback
PUB MONTH: NOVEMBER TRUE CRIME, CURRENT EVENTS
ISBN 978-1-4197-5296-4
US $18.00 CAN $23.00 UK £12.99 ËxHSLELJy752964z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-227-5
BY CHRIS JOYNER
A shocking history of racial injustice and the valiant efforts to secure a Black man’s freedom—now in paperback
The Three Death Sentences of Clarence Henderson is the story of Clarence Henderson, a wrongfully accused Black sharecropper who was sentenced to die three different times for a murder he didn’t commit, and the prosecution desperate to pin the crime on him despite scant evidence. His first trial lasted only a day and featured a lackluster public defense. The book also tells the story of Homer Chase, a former World War II paratrooper and New England radical who was sent to the South by the Communist Party to recruit African Americans to the cause while offering them a chance at increased freedom. And it’s the story of Thurgood Marshall’s NAACP and their battle against not only entrenched racism but a Communist Party—despite facing nearly as much prejudice as those they were trying to help—intent on winning the hearts and minds of Black voters. The bitter battle between the two groups played out as the sides sparred over who would take the lead on Henderson’s defense, a period in which he spent years in prison away from a daughter he had never seen. Through it all, The Three Death Sentences of Clarence Henderson is a portrait of a community, and a country, at a crossroads, trying to choose between the path it knows is right and the path of least resistance. The case pitted powerful forces—often those steering legal and journalistic institutions—attempting to use racism and Red–Scare tactics against a populace that by and large believed the case against Henderson was suspect at best. But ultimately, it’s a hopeful story about how even when things look dark, some small measure of justice can be achieved against all the odds, and actual progress is possible. It’s the rare book that is a timely read, yet still manages to shed an informative light on America’s past and future as well as it’s present. Chris Joyner is an investigative reporter with the Atlanta Journal–Constitution with more than two decades of experience in journalism, ranging from community newspapers to national and international news and wire services. He reported from the scene of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010. As an investigative reporter, he focuses on uncovering hidden communities, and has written about street gangs and life inside a supermax prison, the hidden world of government lobbying, and a white–collar criminal network built around a drug testing lab. He lives in Atlanta.
MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER:
The true story of Clarence Henderson, a Black man convicted three times for two violent crimes he did not commit, was an incredible story then during a period of immense change in American history, and is even more pertinent now. TRUE CRIME: A gripping story for fans of true crime, cold case investigations, and courtroom drama that also appeals to serious readers of 20th century American history, Southern history, and civil rights history. EAGER AUDIENCE: Abrams Press has had recent success in the same historical crime vein, with titles such as The Phantom
Prince and The Suspect; The
Three Death Sentences of
Clarence Henderson will attract a similar audience that is eager for more real stories.
SPECIFICATIONS
*352 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 229mm
*Paperback
PUB MONTH: JANUARY TRUE CRIME, HISTORY
ISBN 978-1-4197-5641-2
US $17.00 CAN $22.00 UK £11.99 ËxHSLELJy756412z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-387-6
BY PAUL CANTOR
The first biography of rapper Mac Miller, the Pittsburgh cult favorite–turned–rap superstar who touched the lives of millions before tragically passing away at the age of 26—now in paperback
Praise for Most Dope
“A tender, studious remembrance.” —New York Times
“An insightful exploration of his life . . . painstakingly reported by Cantor, who interviewed more than 100 people during a three–year process.” —USA Today
“An inside look at Miller's life through the eyes of his friends and industry peers, tracking the musician's life journey as he quickly ascended the ranks.” —Daily Beast
Malcolm James McCormick was born on January 19, 1992. He began making music at a young age and by 15 was already releasing mixtapes. One of the first true viral superstars, his early records earned him a rabid legion of die–hard fans—as well as a few noteworthy detractors. But despite his undeniable success, Miller was plagued by struggles with substance abuse and depression, both of which fueled his raw and genre–defying music. yet ultimately led to his demise. Through detailed reporting and interviews with dozens of Miller’s confidants, Paul Cantor brings you to leafy Pittsburgh, seductive Los Angeles, and frenzied New York, where you will meet Miller’s collaborators, producers, business partners, best friends, and even his roommates. Traveling deep into Miller’s inner circle, behind the curtain, the velvet ropes, and studio doors, Most Dope tells the story of a passionate, gifted young man who achieved his life’s ambition, only to be undone by his personal demons. Most Dope is part love letter, part cautionary tale, never shying away from the raw, visceral way Mac Miller lived his life.
Paul Cantor is a writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, New York magazine, Rolling Stone, XXL, Esquire, Billboard, MTV News, Vice, FADER, Complex, and elsewhere. Born and raised in New York City, he began his career as a music producer and is now among the most authoritative voices in music journalism. In nearly two decades documenting hip–hop culture, he has interviewed and written about luminaries such as J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent, the Wu–Tang Clan, Logic, Common, Scarface, Wyclef, Damon Dash, Young Jeezy, M.I.A., Action Bronson, and Suge Knight, among others. This is his first book. He lives in New York.
FIRST MAC MILLER
BIOGRAPHY: Since Miller’s sudden and shocking death, fans have clamored for a deeper understanding of his life. Full of on–the–ground reporting from people who knew him intimately, this is the first book to tell Miller’s full story—from starting out in “frat rap” with an indie label, to pushing his own creative boundaries, to becoming a global rap icon who ultimately could not escape his own demons. DEDICATED FAN BASE: Three years after Miller’s death, his music and story continue to get lots of attention. In January 2020, his first posthumous album, Circles, was released by his family, debuting at #3 on the Billboard 200 and garnering major media coverage and widespread critical acclaim. Fans have also created vigils and remembrances for him around the world.
WELL–CONNECTED AUTHOR:
Cantor writes regularly for prominent publications including the New York Times, Complex, and Vulture, and anticipates endorsements and coverage in support of this book from J. Cole, Logic, G–Eazy, MC Serch, Shea Serrano, Dan Charnas, Elliott Wilson, Rob Markman, Sway Calloway, and Charlamagne Tha God.
SPECIFICATIONS
*304 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm
*Paperback
PUB MONTH: JANUARY BIOGRAPHY, MUSIC, POP CULTURE
ISBN 978-1-4197-6400-4
US $26.00 CAN $33.00 UK £18.99 ËxHSLELJy764004z
CARTON QTY: 24
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-522-1
HOW GOOD IDEAS GET IGNORED IN AN ECONOMY BUILT FOR MEN
BY KATRINE MARÇAL
An illuminating and maddening examination of how gender bias has skewed innovation, technology, and history—now in paperback
Praise for Mother of Invention
“The joy of the book is how it manages to weave in stories of women influencing innovation in masculine spaces . . . Innovation may have been stifled by gender bias in the past, but Mother of Invention shows that we can choose a different future.” ––Science Magazine
“Quirky treatise . . . Told in a conversational tone, this feminist directive . . . fascinates with its wealth of historical tidbits. Fans of Caroline Criado Perez’s Invisible Women, take note.” ––Publisher's Weekly
“The author’s writing shines when she addresses perceptions of women throughout history; she particularly carefully unpacks how Black and brown women have historically been restricted and misrepresented . . . A must–read.” ––Library Journal, starred review “I am absurdly excited for this book.” —Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women
“From wheeled suitcases to witch trials, Katrine Marçal makes you look again at history in this funny, clever, and provocative book.” —Helen Lewis, author of Difficult Women: A History of Feminism in 11
Fights
“This is an absolute must–read. Equal parts informative and infuriating.” —Dr. Fern Riddell, author of Sex: Lessons from History
“Both bracing and highly entertaining. Marçal’s contention is that while women have been coming up with ingenious inventions since the beginning of time, they are routinely sidelined in a world geared to men.” —Bookseller
It all starts with a rolling suitcase. Though the wheel was invented some 5,000 years ago, and the suitcase in the 19th century, it wasn’t until the 1970s that someone successfully married the two. What was the holdup? For writer and journalist Katrine Marçal, the answer is both shocking and simple: because “real men” carried their bags, no matter how heavy. Mother of Invention is a fascinating and eye–opening examination of business, technology, and innovation through a feminist lens. Because it wasn’t just the suitcase. Drawing on examples from electric cars to tech billionaires, Marçal shows how gender bias stifles the economy and holds us back, delaying innovations, sometimes by hundreds of years, and distorting our understanding of our history. While we talk about the Iron Age and the Bronze Age, we might as well talk about the Ceramic Age or the Flax Age, since these technologies were just as important. But inventions associated with women are not considered to be technology in the same way as those associated with men. Mother of Invention is a sweeping tour of the global economy with a powerful message: If we upend our biases, we can unleash our full potential. Katrine Marçal is a Swedish writer, journalist, and correspondent for the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter. Her first book, Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner?, was shortlisted for the August Prize and won the Lagercrantzen Award. She lives in London.
WELL RECEIVED IN
HARDCOVER: The hardcover edition was longlisted for the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction and longlisted for the Porchlight Business Book Awards, among stellar praise from trade outlets and blurbers alike. GREAT COMPS: Books that mix feminism and business and social sciences have done well, and this is for readers of Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez, Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, or Brotopia by Emily Chang. ANECDOTE RICH: Marçal has a sharp eye for story, and this is packed with shareable, publicity–friendly details, including the unknown gendered history of electric cars and how bra seamstresses were essential to the Apollo missions.
SPECIFICATIONS
*304 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 229mm
*Paperback
PUB MONTH: OCTOBER BUSINESS, HISTORY, WOMEN'S HISTORY
ISBN 978-1-4197-5805-8
US $17.00 CAN $22.00 ËxHSLELJy758058z
ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-479-8
THE FORGOTTEN CITY OF ANCIENT GREECE
BY PAUL CARTLEDGE
The riveting, definitive account of the ancient Greek city of Thebes, by the acclaimed author of The Spartans—now in paperback
Praise for Thebes
“An incisive, inspiring, and vitally illuminating account of a city that changed the ancient world and that deserves to be remembered by the modern. A masterful book written by a master historian.”— Bettany Hughes, author of Istanbul and Helen of Troy
“Mr. Cartledge’s command of the historical material is effortless and exhaustive, and his appreciation of Thebes is persuasive.” —Wall Street Journal
“A welcome addition to any philhellenic library by a reliable, readable interpreter of the ancient past.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Diving deep into centuries’ worth of scholarship, Cartledge manages to make the ancient world accessible to modern readers. This deeply informed and richly detailed chronicle restores Thebes to its rightful place in history.” —Publishers Weekly
Among the extensive writing available about the history of ancient Greece, there is precious little about the city–state of Thebes. At one point the most powerful city in ancient Greece, Thebes has been long overshadowed by its better–known rivals, Athens and Sparta. In Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece, acclaimed classicist and historian Paul Cartledge brings the city vividly to life and argues that it is central to our understanding of the ancient Greeks’ achievements—whether politically or culturally—and thus to the wider politico–cultural traditions of western Europe, the Americas, and indeed the world. From its role as an ancient political power, to its destruction at the hands of Alexander the Great as punishment for a failed revolt, to its eventual restoration by Alexander’s successor, Cartledge deftly chronicles the rise and fall of the ancient city. He recounts the history with deep clarity and mastery for the subject and makes clear both the differences and the interconnections between the Thebes of myth and the Thebes of history. Written in clear prose and illustrated with images in two color inserts, Thebes is a gripping read for students of ancient history and those looking to experience the real city behind the myths of Cadmus, Hercules, and Oedipus. Paul Cartledge is the A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture Emeritus at the University of Cambridge, where he taught from 1979 and 2014, and a Fellow of Clare College. His undergraduate and doctoral qualifications were obtained at Oxford, where he completed a dissertation on the archaeology and history of early Sparta under the supervision of professor Sir John Boardman. He has written and edited more than 20 books, many of which have been translated into foreign languages, including The Spartans, Alexander the Great, and Thermopylae, all published by The Overlook Press/Abrams Press, and most recently Democracy: A Life. He coedits a monograph series, sits on the editorial boards of three academic journals, and serves as consultant in ancient history to publishers on both sides of the Atlantic. He is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, an honorary citizen of modern Sparta, and holds the Gold Cross of the Order of Honor awarded by the president of Greece. PRAISED IN HARDCOVER: The Wall Street Journal called Cartledge’s “command of the historical material . . . effortless and exhaustive.”
HIGHLY CREDENTIALED
AUTHOR: Cartledge is a distinguished scholar and historian and one of the foremost international authorities on ancient Greece.
FOR THE GENERAL READER:
Authoritative and accessible, Cartledge’s book sheds new light on the overlooked history of an ancient city. AUDIENCE: For readers of Mary Beard and Adrian Goldsworthy.
SPECIFICATIONS
*16-page insert *336 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm
*Paperback
PUB MONTH: SEPTEMBER HISTORY, NONFICTION
ISBN 978-1-4197-5855-3
US $18.00 CAN $23.00 ËxHSLELJy758553z
CARTON QTY: 20
