Ordinary Girls
Ordinary Girls

Author: Jaquira Díaz

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Published: 2020-06-16

Total Pages: 353

ISBN-13: 1643750828

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One of the Must-Read Books of 2019 According to O: The Oprah Magazine * Time * Bustle * Electric Literature * Publishers Weekly * The Millions * The Week * Good Housekeeping “There is more life packed on each page of Ordinary Girls than some lives hold in a lifetime.” —Julia Alvarez In this searing memoir, Jaquira Díaz writes fiercely and eloquently of her challenging girlhood and triumphant coming of age. While growing up in housing projects in Puerto Rico and Miami Beach, Díaz found herself caught between extremes. As her family split apart and her mother battled schizophrenia, she was supported by the love of her friends. As she longed for a family and home, her life was upended by violence. As she celebrated her Puerto Rican culture, she couldn’t find support for her burgeoning sexual identity. From her own struggles with depression and sexual assault to Puerto Rico’s history of colonialism, every page of Ordinary Girls vibrates with music and lyricism. Díaz writes with raw and refreshing honesty, triumphantly mapping a way out of despair toward love and hope to become her version of the girl she always wanted to be. Reminiscent of Tara Westover’s Educated, Kiese Laymon’s Heavy, Mary Karr’s The Liars’ Club, and Terese Marie Mailhot’s Heart Berries, Jaquira Díaz’s memoir provides a vivid portrait of a life lived in (and beyond) the borders of Puerto Rico and its complicated history—and reads as electrically as a novel.

Hot Zone
Hot Zone

Author: Christopher Teale Howes

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2012-10-10

Total Pages: 253

ISBN-13: 0786469609

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This memoir is a riveting account of what it's like to be a professional firefighter, from rookie to chief officer, over the course of a 31-year career. The anecdotes are funny, sad, and grim: all serve to educate readers about a profession that many dreamed about when they were children but would never pursue or truly understand. Chief Howes provides a better understanding of the profession and respect for the men and women who protect our communities by relating his own experiences as well as those of other firefighters in some of the busiest stations in the country. The author is donating 10% of royalties to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the nonprofit group dedicated to the development and expansion of programs to honor our fallen fire heroes and assist their families and coworkers.

Pretty
Pretty

Author: Netta B.

Publisher: WPB

Published: 2018-05-06

Total Pages: 138

ISBN-13: 098629957X

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*To rid the world of pedophiles is her privilege but to rid the world of her offenders is her mission.* Damina Rose a.k.a PRETTY is telling her story of how ,when, why, who, and where. Her own personal journey of becoming and living the life of a hit-woman by the age of fourteen. After two attempt's of being raped by people she held trust and value for her disappointment and shame turned to anger. Jovan was the peace and fresh air she needed and he soon became her number one fan and support system. After finding sanctuary after the storm one night Mina was waken out of sleep to be told Javon was tragically taken from her by murder. Her heart grew cold and her mission list grew longer. When Mina's 21st birthday comes around she learns she may have a new chance at love, something that excites her. Unfortunately for her excitement is always short lived. After speaking of married and kids Mina learns Devontae may be her biggest enemy to date when they both find out their past and close friends may intertwine. Will Mina keep playing the game or get played? You can't trust a pretty face and a smile, or can you?

Train Dreams
Train Dreams

Author: Denis Johnson

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Published: 2011-08-30

Total Pages: 126

ISBN-13: 1429995203

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A New York Times Notable Book for 2011 One of The Economist's 2011 Books of the Year One of NPR's 10 Best Novels of 2011 From the National Book Award-winning author Denis Johnson (Tree of Smoke) comes Train Dreams, an epic in miniature, and one of Johnson's most evocative works of fiction. Suffused with the history and landscapes of the American West—its otherworldly flora and fauna, its rugged loggers and bridge builders—this extraordinary novella poignantly captures the disappearance of a distinctly American way of life. It tells the story of Robert Grainer, a day laborer in the American West at the start of the twentieth century—an ordinary man in extraordinary times. Buffeted by the loss of his family, Grainer struggles to make sense of this strange new world. As his story unfolds, we witness both his shocking personal defeats and the radical changes that transform America in his lifetime.

Girls from Da Hood 3
Girls from Da Hood 3

Author: KaShamba Williams

Publisher: Kensington Books

Published: 2009-03-31

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13: 9781601621481

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In the third installment of the runaway hit series Girls from Da Hood, street fiction veterans KaShamba Williams and Mark Anthony are joined by newcomer MadameK, as they turn up the heat with fiery stories that will leave readers breathless.

Bodega Dreams
Bodega Dreams

Author: Ernesto Quiñonez

Publisher: Vintage

Published: 2015-01-21

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 0804154058

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In this "thriller with literary merit" (Time Out New York), a stunning narrative combines the gritty rhythms of Junot Diaz with the noir genius of Walter Mosley. Bodega Dreams pulls us into Spanish Harlem, where the word is out: Willie Bodega is king. Need college tuition for your daughter? Start-up funds for your fruit stand? Bodega can help. He gives everyone a leg up, in exchange only for loyalty—and a steady income from the drugs he pushes. Lyrical, inspired, and darkly funny, this powerful debut novel brilliantly evokes the trial of Chino, a smart, promising young man to whom Bodega turns for a favor. Chino is drawn to Bodega's street-smart idealism, but soon finds himself over his head, navigating an underworld of switchblade tempers, turncoat morality, and murder. "Bodega is a fascinating character. . . . The story [Quiñonez] tells has energy and verve." —The New York Times Book Review

Crazy Faith
Crazy Faith

Author: Michael Todd

Publisher: WaterBrook

Published: 2023-09-19

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 0593239210

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Relationship Goals . . . Will you be remembered as a person who claimed to follow God but liked to play it safe? Or as a person who lived your life out on the limb and trusted God enough to live in crazy faith? Noah looked crazy when he started building the ark . . . until it started raining. It was crazy for Moses to lead a nation of people into the desert away from Egypt . . . until the Red Sea parted. It was crazy to believe that a fourteen-year-old virgin would give birth to the Son of God . . . until Mary held Jesus in her arms. There are many things that seem normal or average today that at one point in time seemed absolutely crazy. Smartphones, Wi-Fi, and even the electric light bulb were all groundbreaking, history-making inventions that started out as crazy ideas. Our see-it-to-believe-it generation tends to have a hard time exercising true faith—one that steps out, takes action, and sees mountain-moving results. Many of us would rather play it safe and stand on the sidelines, but it’s crazy faith that helps us see God move and reveals His promises. In Crazy Faith, Pastor Michael Todd shows us how to step out in faith and dive into the purposeful life of trusting God for the impossible. Even if you have to start with baby faith or maybe faith, you can become empowered to let go of your lazy faith, trust God through your hazy faith, and learn to live a lifestyle of crazy faith. With powerful stories of modern-day faith warriors who take their cues from biblical heroes, Michael Todd equips you to • believe for the impossible • choose hope over fear • be alert to the voice of God • cope with loss and doubt • develop a deeper level of trust in God • speak faith-filled declarations • inspire crazy faith in others God’s not looking for somebody to give Him all the reasons why His plans can’t happen. He’s looking for somebody to believe they will happen. In fact, He has so much He wants to do through you. The question is, Are you crazy enough to believe it?

The History of Miami Hip Hop
The History of Miami Hip Hop

Author: John Cordero

Publisher: Microcosm Publishing

Published: 2023-02-14

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 1648411126

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In the late 90s, the music scene in Miami was at the infancy of becoming the multi-million dollar cultural and artistic force that it is today. Musicians like Pitbull, DJ Khaled, and countless others staked Miami’s claim as the newest Mecca for Hip Hop heads and graffiti artists. During this time, The Cipher was created. An independent newspaper that followed the scene and included reviews, interviews, essays, photos, and more, The Cipher was the choice source for discovering Miami’s underground. The History of Miami Hip Hop chronicles the ups and downs of this legendary rag during its short tenure. Author John Cordero presents both a memoir of his time as one of the newspaper’s creators, and an anthology of some of The Cipher’s greatest hits. Both a love letter to The Cipher as well as 1990s Miami, this narrative is an essential chapter in the history of Hip Hop’s third coast. The book features never-before-seen photos of 1990s stars RZA, Ghostface Killah, and Method Man of Wu-Tang, Andre 3000 of Outkast, Black Thought of The Roots, Phife of A Tribe Called Quest (R.I.P.), Lil' Kim, Aaliyah (R.I.P.), and artists that achieved global celebrity in the 2000s, like Destiny's Child, The Black Eyed Peas, Timbaland, DJ Khaled, and many more.

Weird Like Us
Weird Like Us

Author: Ann Powers

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 0684838087

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Describes the various subcultures trying to reshape America today, and includes interviews with modern bohemians, who share their views on life.

Some Day Your Witch Will Come
Some Day Your Witch Will Come

Author: Kay F. Stone

Publisher: Wayne State University Press

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 362

ISBN-13: 0814335659

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In this enjoyable volume, Kay Stone has selected writings from her scholarly articles and books spanning 1975-2004 that contain reflections on the value of fairy tales as adult literature. The title Some Day Your Witch Will Come twists a Walt Disney lyric to challenge the typical fairy-tale framework and is a nod to Stone's innovative and sometimes unconventional perspective. As a whole, this collection is a fascinating look at both the evolution of a career and the recent history of fairy-tale scholarship.