African Violet and Other Stories


Book Description

The life and times of a war hero who discovers the oddities of the world and returns to declare his own form of independence... An inveterate chancer and drunk gives a command performance as he outwits his boss... Sensation grips Malawi as a homosexual caught in the act takes a righteous stand... A sister and brother discover the world of wealth and expectation that separates their lives in Senegal and the US... A severed leg in a tree leads a maverick investigator down the darkest of trails... The shortlisted stories for the 2012 Caine Prize - Africa's leading literary prize - offer five memorable snapshots of life on the African continent in all its diversity. In addition, ten writers from six different African countries took part in the Caine Prize Writers' Workshop, held this year in South Africa, where they each produced a special story for this volume. These fifteen stories show yet again the richness and range of current writing on the continent. They underline the primacy of the short story, with its oral antecedents, at the very heart of African literature.







African Violets for Everyone


Book Description

Learn the secrets of growing African violets indoors from a grower with over thirty years of experience.




Flying Lessons & Other Stories


Book Description

Whether it is basketball dreams, family fiascos, first crushes, or new neighborhoods, this bold short story collection—written by some of the best children’s authors including Kwame Alexander, Meg Medina, Jacqueline Woodson, and many more and published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books—celebrates the uniqueness and universality in all of us. "Will resonate with any kid who's ever felt different—which is to say, every kid." —Time Great stories take flight in this adventurous middle-grade anthology crafted by ten of the most recognizable and diverse authors writing today. Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander delivers a story in-verse about a boy who just might have magical powers; National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson spins a tale of friendship against all odds; and Meg Medina uses wet paint to color in one girl’s world with a short story that inspired her Newbery award-winner Merci Suárez Changes Gear. Plus, seven more bold voices that bring this collection to new heights with tales that challenge, inspire, and celebrate the unique talents within us all. AUTHORS INCLUDE: Kwame Alexander, Kelly J. Baptist, Soman Chainani, Matt de la Peña, Tim Federle, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Walter Dean Myers, Tim Tingle, Jacqueline Woodson “There’s plenty of magic in this collection to go around.” —Booklist, Starred “A natural for middle school classrooms and libraries.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred “Inclusive, authentic, and eminently readable.” —School Library Journal, Starred “Thought provoking and wide-ranging . . . should not be missed.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred “Read more books by these authors.” —The Bulletin, Starred




The Gospel Blimp and Other Stories


Book Description




How Anansi Got His Stories


Book Description

"Anansi wants everyone to listen to his stories and admire him, but he will have to complete three challenges before he is worthy."--Page 4 of cover




It Falls Gently All Around and Other Stories


Book Description

Happiness and connection prove fickle in this debut collection of eleven linked stories introducing Babbie and Donnie. She is a thrice-divorced former call girl, and he is a sobriety-challenged trucker turned yogi. Along with their community of exes, in-laws, and coworkers, Babbie and Donnie share a longing to reforge their lives, a task easier said than done in Mobile, Alabama, which bears its own share of tainted history. Despite overwhelming challenges and the ever-looming specters of status, race, and class, the characters in It Falls Gently All Around and Other Stories strive for versions of the American dream through modern and often unconventional means. Told with humor and honesty, these stories remind us not only about the fallibility of being human and the resistance of some to change but also about finding redemption in unlikely places.




Rules Concerning Earthlight and Other Stories of Fantasy and Science Fiction


Book Description

Stories of the fantastic, stories of the science fictional: A young man lives alone on the far side of the moon, an artificial intelligence his only friend and companion. A hex-slinger encounters his dead wife, sword in hand, standing at a twilight crossroads. A young woman in prison for having superpowers is tested. A former Martian marine and her brilliant husband, investigate troubles on a colossal space station orbiting Saturn. A traveling medicine show where real magic happens faces evil in a frontier boomtown in 1901. Plus five more. This story collection is a tribute to a friendship, and the influences writers can have on one another. Dale Ivan Smith met K.C. Ball in 2009, when she was an editor guest at an online writing school. That led to Dale’s first sales to K.C.’s online magazine 10Flash Quarterly, a lasting friendship, and a writing partnership. They co-wrote three stories, all of which are included in this collection, including the novella “Silver City,” published here for the first time. Four of the other stories, written by Dale, were published by K.C. in 10Flash, while K.C. read and influenced “Persisting” and “Nullified.” Rules Concerning Earthlight and Other Stories of Fantasy and Science Fiction includes introductions to each story, and additional bonus material.




African Violet and Other Stories


Book Description

Now in its 13th year, the Caine Prize for African Writing is Africa's leading literary prize and is awarded to a short story by an African writer published in English, whether in Africa or elsewhere. This collection brings together the five stories shortlisted for 2012. Previous contributors include Leila Aboulela, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Brian Chikwava and Helon Habila.




The Record Player and Other Stories


Book Description

These stories bring us intimate moments of nostalgia without sentimentality