Cultural Literature

"Hart's argument that we need to drastically revise our current view of illegal drugs is both powerful and timely . . . when it comes to the legacy of this country's war on drugs, we should all share his outrage." --The New York Times Book Review From...

Elegant People is the definitive history of Weather Report, the premier fusion band of the 1970s and beyond. Founded in late 1970 by three stars of the jazz world--keyboardist Joe Zawinul, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and bassist Miroslav Vitous--Weather...

The poet and founder of the music collective Flowers for the Living pays tribute to all Black women by focusing on visionaries and leaders who are making history right now, including Ava DuVernay, Janelle Monae, Kamala Harris, Misty Copeland, Nikole...

Derided as one-hit wonders, estranged from their original producer and record label, and in self-imposed exile in Los Angeles, the Beastie Boys were written off by most observers before even beginning to record their second album - an embarrassing...

A wonderful picture book biography. Little girls will be inspired.* This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It's a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for...

"A style that is verve itself." -- New York Times "A perfectly grand piece of historical record and synthetic journalism." -- Chicago Daily Tribune From Frederick Lewis Allen, former editor-in-chief of Harper's magazine, comes a classic history of 1920s...

A prizewinning young author tells the moving story of growing up during Burundi's ethnic civil war in this powerful memoir hailed as "a jewel of a book" (Margaret MacMillan)."There's nothing like a great love song, and Pacifique Irankunda sings a...

The establishment of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a pioneering international event. Never had any country sought to move forward from despotism to democracy both by exposing the atrocities committed in the past and achieving...

Why technology is not an end in itself, and how cities can be "smart enough," using technology to promote democracy and equity.Smart cities, where technology is used to solve every problem, are hailed as futuristic urban utopias. We are promised that...

For more than two millennia, African blacksmiths have transformed one of Earth's most basic natural resources into objects of life-changing utility, empowerment, prestige, spiritual potency, and astonishing artistry--shaping African cultures in the most...

"A tour de force. . . . Crouch has given us a bone-deep understanding of Parker's music and the world that produced it. In his pages, Bird still lives." -- Washington PostA stunning portrait of Charlie Parker, one of the most talented and influential...