Stephon Alexander

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Illinois

The Secret Link Between Music and the Structure of the Universe

More than fifty years ago, John Coltrane drew the twelve musical notes in a circle and connected them by straight lines, forming a five-pointed star. Inspired by Einstein, Coltrane put physics and geometry at the core of his music. Physicist and jazz musician Stephon Alexander follows suit, using jazz to answer physics' most vexing questions about the past and future of the universe. Following the great minds that first drew the links between music and physics-a list including Pythagoras, Kepler, Newton, Einstein, and Rakim-The Jazz of Physics reveals that the ancient poetic idea of the Music of the Spheres," taken seriously, clarifies confounding issues in physics. The Jazz of Physics will fascinate and inspire anyone interested in the mysteries of our universe, music, and life itself.

The Jazz of Physics

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Ed Morales

The New Force in American Politics and Culture

An “erudite, comprehensive” analysis of Latinx identity in the United States as it relates to American culture, society, and politics (Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, author of Racism Without Racists) “Latinx” (pronounced “La-teen-ex”) is the gender-neutral term that covers one of the largest and fastest growing minorities in the United States, accounting for 17 percent of the country. Over 58 million Americans belong to the category, including a sizable part of the country’s working class, both foreign and native-born. Their political empowerment is altering the balance of forces in a growing number of states. And yet Latinx barely figure in America’s ongoing conversation about race and ethnicity. Remarkably, the US census does not even have a racial category for “Latino.” In this groundbreaking discussion, Ed Morales explains how Latinx political identities are tied to a long Latin American history of mestizaje—“mixedness” or “hybridity”—and that this border thinking is both a key to understanding bilingual, bicultural Latin cultures and politics and a challenge to America’s infamously black–white racial regime. This searching and long-overdue exploration of the meaning of race in American life reimagines Cornel West’s bestselling Race Matters with a unique Latinx inflection.

Latinx

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Jesse Leon

A Memoir

In this unflinching and inspiring memoir, Jesse Leon tells an extraordinary story of resilience and survival, shining a light on a childhood spent devastated by sex trafficking, street life, and substance abuse.

"A book for survivors and those who know someone they hope survives, bodhisattvas all."  --Sandra Cisneros, bestselling author of The House on Mango Street

Born to indigenous working-class Mexican immigrants in San Diego in the 1970s, Jesse Leon's childhood was violently ruptured. A dangerous and harrowing encounter at a local gift shop when he was eleven years old left Jesse with a deadly secret. Hurt, alone, and scared for his life, Jesse numbed his pain by losing himself in the hyper-masculine culture of the streets and wherever else he could find it--in alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. Overlooked by state-sanctioned institutions and systems intended to help victims of abuse, neglected like many other low-income Latinos, Jesse spiraled into cycles of suicide and substance abuse.
 
I'm Not Broken is the heartbreaking and remarkable story of the journey Jesse takes to win back his life, leading him to the steps of Harvard University. From being the lone young person of color in Narcotics Anonymous meetings to coming to terms with his own sexual identity, to becoming an engaged mentor for incarcerated youth, Jesse finds the will to live with the love and support of his family, friends, and mentors. Recounting the extraordinary circumstances of his life, Jesse offers a powerful, raw testament to the possibilities of self-transformation and self-acceptance. Unforgettable, I'm Not Broken is an inspirational portrait of one young man's indomitable strength and spirit to survive--against all possible odds.

I'm Not Broken

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Francisco Cantú

Dispatches from the Border

NAMED A TOP 10 BOOK OF 2018 BY NPR and THE WASHINGTON POST
WINNER OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE IN CURRENT INTEREST
FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE NONFICTION AWARD

The instant New York Times bestseller, "A must-read for anyone who thinks 'build a wall' is the answer to anything." --Esquire

For Francisco Cantú, the border is in the blood: his mother, a park ranger and daughter of a Mexican immigrant, raised him in the scrublands of the Southwest. Driven to understand the hard realities of the landscape he loves, Cantú joins the Border Patrol. He and his partners learn to track other humans under blistering sun and through frigid nights. They haul in the dead and deliver to detention those they find alive. Plagued by a growing awareness of his complicity in a dehumanizing enterprise, he abandons the Patrol for civilian life. But when an immigrant friend travels to Mexico to visit his dying mother and does not return, Cantú discovers that the border has migrated with him, and now he must know the full extent of the violence it wreaks, on both sides of the line.

The Line Becomes a River

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Paola Ramos

Some pencil marks within the first 30 pages

In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity

Debut author and journalist Paola Ramos travels to near and far corners of the country in search of Latin-X voices that illustrate a growing movement and represent a community of young Latinos that hold more political, social, and cultural relevance today than ever before

Latinos are the youngest demographic in the country, with an estimated 32.5 million millennials and Gen Zers across the country. Ten out of six Latinos are millennials or younger and, every single year, one million Latinos turn eighteen. Latin-X- How a New Movement is Changing the Country will take millions of young Latinos-including the author herself-on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, shedding light on the voices that have been brewing yet overlooked for years. From Afro-Latinos to Trans-Latinos, border town Latinos to the young Cuban-Americans in Miami, this book will give life to the cryptic term 'Latin-X'.

Latin-X was a term that originated as a way to be more inclusive towards queer and gender non-confirming members of the larger Latino community. However, over the years, the scope of the term has grown, reflecting a movement that is currently underway across the country- fifty-eight million Latinos are in the midst of rediscovering what their diverse identity means. Today, the "X" is an invitation to any Latino that has ever felt left out of the community. LatinX is a term that seeks to transcend demographics, disrupt stereotypes and create a more cohesive community.

This book is also deeply personal to the author, as it is also the first time she will be coming out publicly as a queer Latina. "I am queer, I am Latina, I am Cuban, Mexican and first-generation American," she says, "These are words I have never been ashamed of saying out loud-but there's a difference between passive recognition and really owning one's blood."

Finding Latinx

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Jon Ronson

"From the author of The Psychopath Test and Lost at Sea, an exploration of shame, one of our world's most overlooked forces. Public shaming as a form of social control, such a big part of our lives it feels weird when there isn't anyone to be furious about. Whole careers are being ruined by one mistake. Our collective outrage at it has the force of a hurricane. Then we all quickly forget about it and move on to the next one, and it doesn't cross our minds to wonder if the shamed person is okay or in ruins. What's it doing to them? An examination of human nature and its flaws"--Publisher's website.

So You've Been Publicly Shamed

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Oliver Sacks

Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

Tales of Music and the Brain

The author draws on the individual experiences of patients, musicians, composers, and ordinary people to explore the complex human response to music and how music can affect those suffering from a variety of ailments.

Musicophilia

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Michael Pollan

A Natural History of Transformation

Michael Pollan, the bestselling author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, Food Rules, and How to Change Your Mind, explores the previously uncharted territory of his own kitchen in Cooked. "Having described what's wrong with American food in his best-selling The Omnivore's Dilemma (2006), New York Times contributor Pollan delivers a more optimistic but equally fascinating account of how to do it right. . . . A delightful chronicle of the education of a cook who steps back frequently to extol the scientific and philosophical basis of this deeply satisfying human activity." —Kirkus (starred review) Cooked is now a Netflix docuseries based on the book that focuses on the four kinds of "transformations" that occur in cooking. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney and starring Michael Pollan, Cooked teases out the links between science, culture and the flavors we love. In Cooked, Pollan discovers the enduring power of the four classical elements—fire, water, air, and earth—to transform the stuff of nature into delicious things to eat and drink. Apprenticing himself to a succession of culinary masters, Pollan learns how to grill with fire, cook with liquid, bake bread, and ferment everything from cheese to beer. Each section of Cooked tracks Pollan’s effort to master a single classic recipe using one of the four elements. A North Carolina barbecue pit master tutors him in the primal magic of fire; a Chez Panisse–trained cook schools him in the art of braising; a celebrated baker teaches him how air transforms grain and water into a fragrant loaf of bread; and finally, several mad-genius “fermentos” (a tribe that includes brewers, cheese makers, and all kinds of picklers) reveal how fungi and bacteria can perform the most amazing alchemies of all. The reader learns alongside Pollan, but the lessons move beyond the practical to become an investigation of how cooking involves us in a web of social and ecological relationships. Cooking, above all, connects us. The effects of not cooking are similarly far reaching. Relying upon corporations to process our food means we consume large quantities of fat, sugar, and salt; disrupt an essential link to the natural world; and weaken our relationships with family and friends. In fact, Cooked argues, taking back control of cooking may be the single most important step anyone can take to help make the American food system healthier and more sustainable. Reclaiming cooking as an act of enjoyment and self-reliance, learning to perform the magic of these everyday transformations, opens the door to a more nourishing life.

Cooked

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Susan Cain

The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Demonstrates how introverted people are misunderstood and undervalued in modern culture, charting the rise of extrovert ideology while sharing anecdotal examples of how to use introvert talents to adapt to various situations.

Quiet

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Kiara Imani

Brilliant debut memoir chronicling Kiara Imani's journey to understand the racial trauma experienced by many Black people in America and the underlying effect it has on Black mental health.

Therapy Isn't Just for White People

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Mark Haddon

Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted, autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

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Barry Green

Don Campbell

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Delves into the methodology, techniques, and inspiration needed to enliven music making. Includes activities.

Bringing Music to Life

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Jo Oliver

Catherine Finger

Set back by the cruel exploits of her husband and haunted by an evil presence she can't quite grasp, Police Chief Josie Oliver finds herself drawn into the crosshairs of a vicious serial killer. Fighting for her marriage, faith, and fate, Chief Josie is confronted by an Adversary that only God can conquer--if she decides to let Him in.

Alabaster Vases

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Funke Cornelia

Hetty Hyssop and her assistant ghosthunters travel to a seaside hotel to investigate the appearance of one of the most dangerous ghosts in the world.

The Gruesome Invincible Lightning Ghost!

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A timid boy named Tom reluctantly agrees to help professional ghostbuster Hetty Hyssop dispel an IRG (Incredibly Revolting Ghost) from an old house.

Ghosthunters And The Incredibly Revolting Ghost

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Louis Sachar

Humorous episodes from the classroom on the thirtieth floor of Wayside School, which was accidentally built sideways with one classroom on each story.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School

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Tui T. Sutherland

An exciting new series about those adorable pets that just won't behave -- Pet Trouble is Marley & Me for middle-grade readers!Eric can't wait to get a dog he can run around and play with, like his friend Parker's golden retriever. But Meatball the bulldog doesn't seem to be the run-around-and-play type ... Even when they go for a walk, Meatball sits down on the sidewalk! Can Eric get this stubborn bulldog to get up and go?

Bulldog Won't Budge

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Garen Thomas

A Biography of President Barack Obama

In third grade, Barack Obama wrote an essay titled, “I Want to Become President”—and he is, to this day, determined to show the world that, yes, he can. Born in the U.S.A., the son of an African father and an American mother, a boy who spent his childhood in Indonesia and Hawaii, Barack Obama is truly a citizen of the world. His campaign for the presidency is powered by a fierce optimism, an exuberant sense of purpose and determination, and, above all, a belief that change can happen. Garen Thomas takes us through the life of Barack Obama, from his struggle to fit in with his classmates and concern about not knowing his biological father, through his term as Illinois senator, to his historic and momentum-building run for president of the United States. Barack Obama is a man who uses his words to inspire us. We can have a better future. We can be whatever we want to be. Yes. We. Can.

Yes We Can

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Morris Gleitzman

In the hysterically funny sequel to Toad Rage, Limpy is on a quest to find toad heaven, but his plans are waylaid when he's kidnapped by some sinister-looking humans and tossed into a bucket.

Toad Heaven

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David Lubar

And Other Warped and Creepy Tales

Presents thirty-five horror stories about pigeons, ancient predators, Girl Scouts, and other terrifying things.

Curse of the Campfire Weenies

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Jake T. Forbes

Have you ever wanted to be a Jedi Knight? From the chambers of the Jedi Temple you can travel to the forests of Kashyyyk and fight alongside the mighty Wookies, or you can fly through space and battle bounty hunters in your starfighter. With dozens of paths to choose from and over 25 different endings.

The Way of the Jedi

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William Sleator

Annie's Uncle Marco goes on one of his mysterious trips, leaving her in charge of two sealed boxes on one condition: she must not open either one while he is away. But she is tempted...and soon she has unleashed the unspeakable. The creatures inside the box are crab-like and grotesque. And they possess a power Annie could never have imagined: the power to transmute time."Sleator is the master of the creepy-crawly, and his inventiveness is at full power here." --The Horn Book

The Boxes

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Casey McQuiston

From the New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue comes a new romantic comedy that will stop readers in their tracks... "Dreamy, other worldly, smart, swoony, thoughtful, hilarious - all in all, exactly what you'd expect from Casey McQuiston!" - Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of The Proposal and Party for Two Cynical twenty-three-year old August doesn’t believe in much. She doesn’t believe in psychics, or easily forged friendships, or finding the kind of love they make movies about. And she certainly doesn’t believe her ragtag band of new roommates, her night shifts at a 24-hour pancake diner, or her daily subway commute full of electrical outages are going to change that. But then, there’s Jane. Beautiful, impossible Jane. All hard edges with a soft smile and swoopy hair and saving August’s day when she needed it most. The person August looks forward to seeing on the train every day. The one who makes her forget about the cities she lived in that never seemed to fit, and her fear of what happens when she finally graduates, and even her cold-case obsessed mother who won’t quite let her go. And when August realizes her subway crush is impossible in more ways than one—namely, displaced in time from the 1970s—she thinks maybe it’s time to start believing. Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop is a sexy, big-hearted romance where the impossible becomes possible as August does everything in her power to save the girl lost in time.

One Last Stop

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Bernard H. Haggin

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)

When he died in 1987 at the age of 86, B.H. Haggin left behind a vast body of beautifully-written commentary on the state of Western music. First published in 1956, The Listener's Musical Companion is an introduction ot concert music and its composers and a highly discriminating evaluation of the best performances of great music/

Browse by categories

Stephon Alexander

The Jazz of Physics

Ed Morales

Latinx

Jesse Leon

I'm Not Broken

Francisco Cantú; Francisco Cantú

The Line Becomes a River

Paola Ramos

Finding Latinx

Jon Ronson

So You've Been Publicly Shamed

Oliver Sacks

Musicophilia

Michael Pollan

Cooked

Susan Cain

Quiet

Kiara Imani

Therapy Isn't Just for White People

Mark Haddon

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Barry Green; Don Campbell

Bringing Music to Life

Jo Oliver; Catherine Finger

Alabaster Vases

Funke Cornelia

The Gruesome Invincible Lightning Ghost!

Funke Cornelia

Ghosthunters And The Incredibly Revolting Ghost

Louis Sachar

Sideways Stories from Wayside School

Tui T. Sutherland

Bulldog Won't Budge

Garen Thomas

Yes We Can

Morris Gleitzman

Toad Heaven

David Lubar

Curse of the Campfire Weenies

Jake T. Forbes

The Way of the Jedi

William Sleator

The Boxes

Casey McQuiston

One Last Stop

Bernard H. Haggin

The Listener's Musical Companion

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