Pearl ha poche settimane quando Margot, la giovanissima madre, lascia con lei una famiglia ricca ma brutale per ricominciare da zero, lontano da tutto e da tutti. Insieme attraversano la Florida a bordo di una Mercury del '94 che diventerà la loro casa in un campo per roulotte. Pearl cresce sul sedile davanti, respirando tossine e spazzatura: va a scuola, ha un'amica del cuore e una routine che scandisce le sue giornate, ma conosce solo quel piccolo mondo, e quello ancora più piccolo dell'auto, una bolla che isola lei e la mamma dalla realtà. Fuori c'è la Florida più selvaggia, quella degli alligatori, dei cacciatori, di chi pur di proteggere la famiglia è disposto a qualunque cosa. La vita fra le roulotte e i loro abitanti - disperati e spostati di ogni genere, ma dotati di un ferreo codice morale - è al tempo stesso straziante e piena di tenerezza; ci si sostiene a vicenda, c'è speranza, a volte anche divertimento. Quando il campo diventa uno snodo per la vendita di armi illegali, la pace apparente che regnava su Pearl verrà irrimediabilmente spezzata, strappandola per sempre dalla madre e stravolgendo la sua vita. Un romanzo sull'America di oggi, che svela un sottomondo popolato di poesia, amore e brutalità.

La ragazza lavora come barista al Night Birds. Ha lasciato il Canada perche diceva di sentirsi grigia, doveva andarsene. Ha venduto tutto e ha acquistato un biglietto di sola andata per New York. Il ragazzo sa di cuoio, pittura a olio, tabacco, marijuana. Lunghi dreadlock neri che pendono dalla testa, pantaloni troppo larghi, sporchi di vernice, scarpe bucate. Frequenta il locale e guarda la ragazza per due mesi, senza mai parlarle, ma tutti i giorni torna lì. Lei si chiama Suzanne Mallouk, ha detto addio a un padre violento e ora, rutta sola a New York, ha proprio l'aspetto di una bambina di dodici anni scappata di casa. Eppure, nella mente le risuonano le parole che le disse sua madre: un giorno farà cose eccezionali. Lui si chiama Jean-Michel Basquiat, è un graffitista conosciuto come SAMO e si presenta al Night Birds con un mucchio di monete. Ordina sempre e solo il meglio. E sta per diventare uno dei pittori più acclamati del mondo. Dai bassifondi della Grande Mela alle più famose gallerie d'arte, per Jean-Michel il passo è breve. Collezionisti, critici, mercanti, nessuno rimane indifferente al suo talento istintivo, al vigore con cui fa rivivere sulla tela le parole, i colori e le mille vibrazioni che attraversano la cultura underground. Jean-Michel porta la graffiti-art nei musei, è il primo artista di colore a imporsi in un mondo ancora dominato dai bianchi; conosce Andy Warhol, frequenta Madonna e partecipa ai reading di William Burroughs.

(Schirmer Performance Editions). Pedagogical in nature, these editions offer insightful interpretive suggestions, pertinent fingering, and historical and stylistic commentary. Muzio Clementi (1752-1832), a renowned piano teacher in his day, is today best-known for this set of six Sonatinas, Opus 36. It is a tribute to their inherent musical appeal that, after two centuries, almost anyone who has studied piano knows one or more of these small gems. In these short, sparkling works, all attention is directed to the most basic pianistic concepts: precise phrasing, evenness of touch, dynamic control, and rhythmic vitality.

The beautifully written, deeply affecting story of Jean-Michel Basquiat's partner, her past, and their life together

New York City in the 1980s was a mesmerizing, wild place. A hotbed for hip hop, underground culture, and unmatched creative energy, it spawned some of the most significant art of the 20th century. It was where Jean-Michel Basquiat became an avant-garde street artist and painter, swiftly achieving worldwide fame. During the years before his death at the age of 27, he shared his life with his lover and muse, Suzanne Mallouk.

A runaway from an unhappy home in Canada, Suzanne first met Jean-Michel in a bar on the Lower East Side in 1980. Thus began a tumultuous and passionate relationship that deeply influenced one of the most exceptional artists of our time.

In emotionally resonant prose, award-winning author Jennifer Clement tells the story of the passion that swept Suzanne and Jean-Michel into a short-lived, unforgettable affair. A poetic interpretation like no other, Widow Basquiat is an expression of the unrelenting power of addiction, obsession and love.

A haunting story of love and survival that introduces an unforgettable literary heroine

Ladydi Garcia Martínez is fierce, funny and smart. She was born into a world where being a girl is a dangerous thing. In the mountains of Guerrero, Mexico, women must fend for themselves, as their men have left to seek opportunities elsewhere. Here in the shadow of the drug war, bodies turn up on the outskirts of the village to be taken back to the earth by scorpions and snakes. School is held sporadically, when a volunteer can be coerced away from the big city for a semester. In Guerrero the drug lords are kings, and mothers disguise their daughters as sons, or when that fails they “make them ugly” – cropping their hair, blackening their teeth- anything to protect them from the rapacious grasp of the cartels. And when the black SUVs roll through town, Ladydi and her friends burrow into holes in their backyards like animals, tucked safely out of sight.

While her mother waits in vain for her husband’s return, Ladydi and her friends dream of a future that holds more promise than mere survival, finding humor, solidarity and fun in the face of so much tragedy. When Ladydi is offered work as a nanny for a wealthy family in Acapulco, she seizes the chance, and finds her first taste of love with a young caretaker there. But when a local murder tied to the cartel implicates a friend, Ladydi’s future takes a dark turn. Despite the odds against her, this spirited heroine’s resilience and resolve bring hope to otherwise heartbreaking conditions.

An illuminating and affecting portrait of women in rural Mexico, and a stunning exploration of the hidden consequences of an unjust war, PRAYERS FOR THE STOLEN is an unforgettable story of friendship, family, and determination.


From the Hardcover edition.

The University of Canterbury in New Zealand is the guardian of a rich and varied inheritance, which is reflected in the diverse material held by its libraries, and this unique book presents reflections on some of the distinctive and exceptional items in the University’s keeping. From an original printing of the 1611 King James Bible to the papers of Karl Popper and the Pacific Leprosy Foundation Archive, the stories behind these objects offer insight into the minds of kings, intellectuals, musicians, artists, and explorers, while also charting the history of an emerging nation.

Not only can research have a transformative effect on self and others, but transpersonal methods can also transform research. Anderson and Braud (both affiliated with the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, CA; coauthors, Transpersonal Research Methods for the Social Sciences, 1998) describe intuitive inquiry, integral inquiry, organic inquiry, intentionality, embodied writing, and other techniques and an expanded concept of validity, that complement familiar methods that can lead to a researcher's personal growth and expanded research skills. The book includes experiential exercises. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

In the 1920s, San Clemente founder Ole Hanson envisioned a 'Spanish Village' on the Pacific coast halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. His city would have streets that followed the natural contours of the land. Sunny beaches and perfect climate enticed many to settle in this charming community. Known for its hospitality and neighborly atmosphere, the city became host and home to dignitaries such as Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Pres. Richard M. Nixon. Today, professional surfers, skateboarders, and small businesses call San Clemente home--the perfect place for work and leisure.

A remarkable and original novel that addresses the universal issues of class discrimination, male oppression and female servitude through dual narratives of spellbinding power.

Essere poveri in Messico non è facile. Leonora lo ha scoperto presto. Quando arriva come serva in casa degli O'Conner, con un piccolo bagaglio e la sua infanzia di lavoro e fatica, a colpirla sono soprattutto la bellezza della padrona, il suo profumo di albicocca, la ricchezza della villa e un grande albero di pompelmi che colora il giardino. Ad accoglierla, oltre agli O'Conner, Leonora trova Sofia, la più anziana e loquace cameriera di casa, e Josefa, la cuoca, le cui risposte, tutte contenute in una sola parola, racchiudono piccole saggezze e tracce di una misteriosa sofferenza. In questo ambiente, visto con gli occhi di donne così diverse, Leonora scoprirà quanto può essere dolce l'amore e doloroso il mondo.