Mini Modern Classics


Book Description

A set of 50 fascinating, disturbing, moving or funny short books published in an appealing new format to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Penguin Modern Classics







Muslims and the Making of America


Book Description

There has never been an America without Muslims--so begins Amir Hussain, one of the most important scholars and teachers of Islam in America. Hussain, who is himself an American Muslim, contends that Muslims played an essential role in the creation and cultivation of the United States. Memories of 9/11 and the rise of global terrorism fuel concerns about American Muslims. The fear of American Muslims in part stems from the stereotype that all followers of Islam are violent extremists who want to overturn the American way of life. Inherent to this stereotype is the popular misconception that Islam is a new religion to America. In Muslims and the Making of America Hussain directly addresses both of these stereotypes. Far from undermining America, Islam and American Muslims have been, and continue to be, important threads in the fabric of American life. Hussain chronicles the history of Islam in America to underscore the valuable cultural influence of Muslims on American life. He then rivets attention on music, sports, and culture as key areas in which Muslims have shaped and transformed American identity. America, Hussain concludes, would not exist as it does today without the essential contributions made by its Muslim citizens. --J. Ryan Parker "The Midwest Book Review"




THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALICE B. TOKLAS (Modern Classics Series)


Book Description

Gertrude Stein's 'The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas' is a groundbreaking work of literary innovation and experimentation. Written in a unique style that blurs the lines between reality and fiction, Stein recounts the life of her partner, Alice B. Toklas, in a whimsical and abstract manner. The book challenges traditional narrative structures and invites readers to question the nature of autobiographical writing. Set against the backdrop of early 20th century Paris, the book captures the vibrant artistic and intellectual atmosphere of the time. Stein's use of repetition and stream-of-consciousness adds layers of depth to the storytelling, making it a truly intriguing read for those interested in modernist literature. Gertrude Stein, a prominent figure in the modernist literary movement, drew inspiration from her own personal life and relationships to create this unconventional autobiography. As a close confidante of many influential artists and writers, Stein's unique perspective shines through in her writing. Her bold experimentation with language and form challenges readers to think outside the box and reconsider conventional storytelling methods. I highly recommend 'The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas' to readers who appreciate innovative and thought-provoking literature. Stein's avant-garde approach to storytelling makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the boundaries of autobiography and narrative fiction.




Once Upon a Time in America


Book Description

Detailing the genesis, production history and different versions of 'Once Upon a Time in America', this study considers the film within the context of Leone's evolution as a grand cinema stylist. It illuminates his themes, method and aesthetic, and judges his impact upon subsequent filmmakers.




How Green Was My Valley


Book Description

"How Green Was My Valley" is Richard Llewellyn's bestselling -- and timeless -- classic and the basis of a beloved film. As Huw Morgan is about to leave home forever, he reminisces about the golden days of his youth when South Wales still prospered, when coal dust had not yet blackened the valley. Drawn simply and lovingly, with a crisp Welsh humor, Llewellyn's characters fight, love, laugh and cry, creating an indelible portrait of a people.




Ghostwritten


Book Description

By the New York Times bestselling author of The Bone Clocks and Cloud Atlas A gallery attendant at the Hermitage. A young jazz buff in Tokyo. A crooked British lawyer in Hong Kong. A disc jockey in Manhattan. A physicist in Ireland. An elderly woman running a tea shack in rural China. A cult-controlled terrorist in Okinawa. A musician in London. A transmigrating spirit in Mongolia. What is the common thread of coincidence or destiny that connects the lives of these nine souls in nine far-flung countries, stretching across the globe from east to west? What pattern do their linked fates form through time and space? A writer of pyrotechnic virtuosity and profound compassion, a mind to which nothing human is alien, David Mitchell spins genres, cultures, and ideas like gossamer threads around and through these nine linked stories. Many forces bind these lives, but at root all involve the same universal longing for connection and transcendence, an axis of commonality that leads in two directions—to creation and to destruction. In the end, as lives converge with a fearful symmetry, Ghostwritten comes full circle, to a point at which a familiar idea—that whether the planet is vast or small is merely a matter of perspective—strikes home with the force of a new revelation. It marks the debut of a writer of astonishing gifts.




Autobiography of an Androgyne


Book Description

The Autobiography of an Androgyne is the first autobiography of Earl Lind, writer and activist for the rights of people who didn't conform to gender and sexual norms. The goal in writing this book was to help create an accepting environment for young adults who don't conform to gender and sexual norms, because that was what he would have wanted for himself, and he wanted to prevent youth from committing suicide. The author wrote of feeling like a combination of male and female, and of his practice of alternating between these two gender expressions.




A Companion to the Gilded Age and Progressive Era


Book Description

A Companion to the Gilded Age and Progressive Era presents a collection of new historiographic essays covering the years between 1877 and 1920, a period which saw the U.S. emerge from the ashes of Reconstruction to become a world power. The single, definitive resource for the latest state of knowledge relating to the history and historiography of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era Features contributions by leading scholars in a wide range of relevant specialties Coverage of the period includes geographic, social, cultural, economic, political, diplomatic, ethnic, racial, gendered, religious, global, and ecological themes and approaches In today’s era, often referred to as a “second Gilded Age,” this book offers relevant historical analysis of the factors that helped create contemporary society Fills an important chronological gap in period-based American history collections




The American School Board Journal


Book Description

A periodical of school administration.