Secrets, Lieza, and Deceit


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Totally Middle School


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From literary masterminds Lois Lowry, Gary D. Schmidt, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, Karen Cushman, Gregory Maguire, and more comes a timeless and inspirational anthology about the sometimes-challenging, always-rewarding coming-of-age years: middle school. With eleven short stories told in text messages, emails, formal letters, stories in verse, and even a mini graphic novel, Totally Middle School tackles a range of important subjects, from peer pressure, family issues, and cultural barriers to the unexpected saving grace of music, art, friendship, and reading. Brimming with heart and humor, these poignant stories from bestselling and award-winning authors shine a light on the moments when everything is thrilling and terrifying at the same time--in a way it will never be again.







The Secrets in Shadow and Blood


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In the shadows, vision can turn blurry. Truths can become lies. Enemies can become lovers. When Violet inexplicably wakes thousands of years after a nuclear holocaust, she finds the world very different. Fae exist now. They're vicious, animalistic monsters who pervert magic and can morph into any shape-including vampires. They hoard the bounty of the new world, and keep humans banished to the wasteland. At least, that's what the humans of today have told her. Determined to make up for an unforgivable mistake in her past, she becomes a covert assassin and seeks revenge for her human brethren. And she's good at it. But when the thing she hunts saves her life, injuring himself in the process... her crystal clarity suddenly becomes blurry. Vampires are meant to be monsters, not protectors... not charismatic, annoyingly handsome and loyal and... everything. Indigo is a Fae Guardian, and a ruthless vampire protector of Elphyne. The Order has tasked him with finding a human with deadly secrets before the unhinged Unseelie Queen, or the fanatical human leader, can exploit her. They chose him for one reason, and one reason only - the taste of human blood does things to him. Addictive, dark, insatiable things. And when he catches Violet's scent, they know he'll do everything in his power to covet her and keep her safe. But Indigo hides his own shameful secret in the shadows of his heart, and if it ever comes to light, Violet will never trust him. She'll kill him. The Secrets in Shadow and Blood is the next installment in the Fae Guardians series, and the first in the Season of the Vampire Trilogy. Each book features a separate couple with a satisfying HEA, but to enjoy the full benefits of the over arching plot, start the Fae Guardian journey with book one of Fae Guardians: Season of the Wolf. All Fae Guardian books include steamy romance, a splash of time travel, monster hunting, a band of brothers, fated mates, growly fae protectors, and their strong willed women from our time. If you love your books full of page turning action, romantic tension, and world building you can get lost in, then this series is for you. Warning: Trusting these seductive fae will lead to sleepless nights. But it will be worth it.;




James Baldwin


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"The recognition and study of African American (AA) artists and public intellectuals often include Martin Luther King, Jr., and occasionally Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, and Malcolm X. The literary canon also adds Ralph Ellison, Richard White, Langston Hughes, and others such as female writers Zora Neale Hurston, Maya Angelou, and Alice Walker. Yet, the acknowledgement of AA artists and public intellectuals tends to skew the voices and works of those included toward normalized portrayals that fit wellwithin foundational aspects of the American myths refl ected in and perpetuated by traditional schooling. Further, while many AA artists and public intellectuals are distorted by mainstream media, public and political characterizations, and the curriculum, several powerful AA voices are simply omitted, ignored, including James Baldwin. This edited volume gathers a collection of essays from a wide range of perspectives that confront Baldwin’s impressive and challenging canon as well as his role as a public intellectual. Contributors also explore Baldwin as a confrontational voice during his life and as an enduring call for justice."




The Black Horn


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The Black Horn: The Story of Classical French Hornist Robert Lee Watt tells the story of the first African American French Hornist hired by a major symphony in the United States. Today, few African Americans hold chairs in major American symphony orchestras, and Watt is the first in many years to write about this uniquely exhilarating—and at times painful—experience. The Black Horn chronicles the upbringing of a young boy fascinated by the sound of the French horn. Watt walks readers through the many obstacles of the racial climate in the United States, both on and off stage, and his efforts to learn and eventually master an instrument little considered in the African American community. Even the author’s own father, who played trumpet, sought to dissuade the young classical musician in the making. He faced opposition from within the community—where the instrument was deemed by Watt’s father a “middle instrument suited only for thin-lipped white boys”—and from without. Watt also documented his struggles as a student at a nearly all-white major music conservatory, as well as his first job in a major symphony orchestra after the conservatory canceled his scholarship. Watt subsequently chronicles his triumphs and travails as a musician when confronting the realities of race in America and the world of classical music. This book will surely interest any classical musician and student, particularly those of color, seeking to grasp the sometimes troubled history of being the only “black horn.”




Mission to Iran


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This book reports the dramatic experiences of the last American ambassador to Iran during the revolution of 1978-79. It is an account of the events, the personalities, and the institutions in Iran as seen through the eyes of the man who, at the time, was the senior U.S. Foreign Service career officer on active duty. It is also a story of the policy failures of the Carter administration as viewed from the American Embassy in Tehran.










Why Do We Laugh?


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