History and Current Events

The Writing of the Gods:

The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone

by Edward Dolnick

available now, hardcover, Scribner

"Far from being dry history, Dolnick's captivating chronicle of the deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphs reads like an Indiana Jones adventure, coupled with the clash of egos between two intellectual titans and thrills to the mind in every chapter." –Eric A Great Gift

The 1619 Project:

A New Origin Story

by Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times Magazine

available in November, hardcover, One World

The 1619 Project ultimately sends a very strong message: We must have a clear vision of this history if we are to understand our present dilemmas. Only by reckoning with this difficult history and trying as hard as we can to understand its powerful influence on our present, can we prepare ourselves for a more just future.

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Mythology

Greek Myths: A New Retelling

by Charlotte Higgins, drawings by Chris Ofili

available in December, hardcover, Pantheon "In the twenty-first century, we have long left behind the political and religious framework in which these stories first circulated—but their power endures. Greek myths remain true for us because they excavate the very extremes of human experience: sudden, inexplicable catastrophe; radical reversals of fortune; and seemingly arbitrary events that transform lives. They deal, in short, in the hard, basic facts of the human condition.” –From the Introduction of Greek Myths

History

Twelve Caesars:

Images of Power from the Ancient World to the Modern

by Mary Beard

hardcover, available now, Princeton University Press Beginning with the importance of imperial portraits in Roman politics, this richly illustrated book offers a tour through 2,000 years of art and cultural history, presenting a fresh look at works by artists from Memling and Mantegna to the 19th-century American sculptor Edmonia Lewis, as well as by generations of weavers, cabinetmakers, silversmiths, printers, and ceramicists. Rather than a story of a simple repetition of stable, blandly conservative images of imperial men and women, Twelve Caesars is an unexpected tale of changing identities, clueless or deliberate misidentifications, fakes, and often ambivalent representations of authority.

Mutiny on the Rising Sun:

A Tragic Tale of Slavery, Smuggling, and Chocolate

by Jared Hardesty

available now, hardcover, NYU Press At once startling and captivating, Mutiny on the Rising Sun shows how illegal trade created demand for exotic products like chocolate, and how slavery and smuggling were integral to the development of American capitalism.

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Mythos:

The Greek Myths Reimagined

by Stephen Fry

available now, hardcover, Chronicle Books

“While staying true to the authenticity of Greek myth, Fry breathes fresh life and language into these ancient tales. Standing on the shoulders of greats like Edith Hamilton, Fry's linguistically humorous tone invites a new generation to enjoy the follies of the gods. Gorgeously illustrated, this is a lovely gift idea for lovers of stories and history. See also Heroes by Fry, the next in the series.“ –Erin

Peril

by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa

available now, hardcover, Simon & Schuster

Against the backdrop of the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley walks a dangerous tightrope: a balancing act between the traditional subservience of the military to civilian command, and the widespread perception that the country—and the world—needs protection from a rogue President. Legendary journalist Bob Woodward, whose reporting broke the Watergate scandal, brings this latest crisis in the American presidency to vivid life through his ferreting out of first-hand accounts of the crisis. –Eric

Allow Me to Retort:

A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution

by Elie Mystal

available in January 2022, hardcover, The New Press

Allow Me to Retort is an easily digestible argument primer, offered so that people can tell the Republicans in their own lives why they are wrong. Mystal brings his trademark humor, snark, and legal expertise to topics as crucial to our politics as gerrymandering and voter suppression, and explains why legal concepts such as the right to privacy and substantive due process are constantly under attack from the very worst judges conservatives can pack onto the courts.

Business

Reclaiming Economics for Future Generations

by Nicola Scott, Lucy Ambler, and Joe Earle

available in January 2022, paperback, Manchester University Our modern economies are a root cause of systemic racism, inequalities faced by women, the Covid-19 pandemic and the nature and climate emergency. Economics fails to recognize this, so we are left in a rapidly worsening crisis, without the knowledge, skills or tools we need to build a better future. We need a better economics to create a world where all our children can flourish regardless of their gender, background, or birthplace. We must all join the struggle reclaim economics, as all our futures depend on it. This book explains how it can be done. POLITICS &

CURRENT

EVENTS

Disorientation:

Being Black in The World

by Ian Williams

available in November, hardcover, Europa Bestselling Scotiabank Giller Awardwinning writer Ian Williams brings a fresh point of view and new insights to the urgent conversation on race and racism in these illuminating essays born from his own experience as a Black man in the world. Disorientation is a book for all readers who believe that civil conversation on even the most charged subjects is possible. Employing his vast and astonishing gift for language, Ian Williams gives readers an open, honest, and personal perspective on an undeniably important subject.

Graphic Novel

On Tyranny Graphic

Edition: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

by Timothy Snyder Illustrated by Nora Krug

available now, hardcover, Ten Speed Press This graphic novel edition of On Tyranny is a perfect translation to educate a broader audience through 20 lessons on how to avoid modern-authoritarianism by reviewing the past. The illustrator, Nora Krug, makes this original pocket-sized book into an exciting and imaginative journey that is captivating. –Gabi

A Great Gift

World's Softest Socks!

"I'm convinced that World's Softest socks really are the softest in the world! They wash and wear well, too. I love them so much that I raided my Christmas stocking a day early last year to get at the pair I was sure Santa gave me. (She didn't disappoint ;-) ) Love 'em!" –Gaye