PKK’s soul-warming memoir tells of a life enriched by song, literature, food and spirituality at the heart of a loving family. Born into a newly independent Uganda, she grew up in a volatile political landscape but never lacked the inspiration and protection of generations of friends and relatives. Her story travels from her expansive childhood homes in Uganda, to the novelties of living in Addis Ababa, before settling in Cape Town, her current home. But no matter how far her journeys take her, it’s clear that home is not only about places but people.

"Black Song" is a literary tribute to the power and beauty of the timeless musical tradition of Afro-American spirituals. The author charts the evolution and development of the Black spiritual, and presents hundreds of examples of the more than 6,000 remaining songs. This is the definitive history of a simple musical form in all its complexities -- music, religion, philosophy, poetry, and politics. The book's first part, "The Forge," presents the authentic "story of how the songs were hammered out." In the second part, "The Slave Sings Free," the author examines the creators and their communities, and interprets the meanings and implications of the songs that have passed into, and have become part of, our society. The development of the spiritual as a world phenomenon is traced in the final part, "The Flame." "Black Song" will remain in the literature of our musical, cultural, and social heritage as a fascinating reader and essential reference book. -- From publisher's description.

In her debut poetry collection, Ordinary Cruelty, Amber Flame spells out rituals in everyday decisions to hold on or let go. While questioning the role of elder, mentor, mother in the face of losing those figures, Flame details the unrelenting nature of parenthood through the cycles of grief. Her poems exuberantly rejoice in the brown skin of the female body, while soberly acknowledging the societal dangers of claiming such skin as home. Flame takes the reader through a visceral examination of the body's processes of both dying and continuing to live and the joy to be found while we do.

A new collection of electric, searing stories from award-winning, bestselling author Juan Gabriel Vásquez. The characters in Songs for the Flames are men and women touched by violence—sometimes directly, sometimes only in passing—but whose lives are changed forever, consumed by fire and by unexpected encounters and unyielding forces. A photographer becomes obsessed with the traumatic past that an elegant woman, a fellow guest staying at a countryside ranch, would rather leave behind. A military reunion forces a soldier to confront a troubling history, both personal and on a larger scale. And in a tour-de-force piece, the search for a book leads a writer to the fascinating story of why a woman is buried next to a graveyard, rather than in it—and the remarkable account of her journey from France to Colombia as a child orphan. Juan Gabriel Vásquez returns to stories with these nine morally complex tales, fresh proof of his narrative versatility and his profound understanding of the lives of others. There’s a romantic wistfulness that combusts with the realities of dangerous histories, both personal and political, to throw these characters into the flames from which they either emerge purified, reborn, or burned and destroyed.

The cycle of fate turns on. In the capital of Sontair, still reeling from the recent assassination, Daemi, Frankle and Heather are helping as best they can to retain some semblance of order and control. With them is Wilt, trapped now in cat form, but still connected to Daemi through their shared mind, enabling her to identify and hunt down those servants of the dark that still infest the city. Far to the east, in the mysterious mountain prison of Pankesh, Higgs has been called back from the wash of the welds and returned to his human body. He finds himself under the control of the Novus, the source of the spreading darkness. The Novus uses weldfarers – those who can ride the welds – to alter events across time, and has been tracking Wilt and Higgs ever since their days in Greystone. As the Novus gathers his forces and reaches through time and space to twist the world to his bidding the companions must journey across the Eternal Sea to finally confront the dark and face their fate.

More than one hundred songs of the Holocaust in sixteen languages with English translations. Here for the first time is a stirring collection of rare songs of the Holocaust; songs of resistance, despair, rage, hope and even humor, written in the face of utter evil. The very existence of these songs raises haunting questions. The extensive historical notes and insightful survivor testimony in this groundbreaking volume provide moving answers. Musicologist Jerry Silverman has compiled and presents an expansive collection of Holocaust-era folk music in sixteen languages that he situates within a vivid historical framework. This volume represents the work of concentration camp prisoners and inhabitants of the ghettos of Eastern Europe, subversive European cabaret music, anti-Fascist Russian Army songs, and songs of Resistance fighters. Silverman has conducted exhaustive research that took in many countries to unearth this material, and in some cases where the original music has been lost, set the words to music using traditional melodies. Included are songs of prewar Germany and of postwar reflection by such balladeers as Peter Seeger, Janis Ian, and Si Kahn.

For over forty years, Don Walker’s songwriting has captured what it is to be Australian. From Cold Chisel to Catfish, Tex, Don & Charlie to his solo work, as well as many other writing collaborations, Walker’s words are poetic, moving and incisive. Including classics such as “Khe Sanh”, “Flame Trees”, “Cheap Wine” and “Harry was a Bad Bugger”, this collection reveals the breadth of Walker’s vision and the precision of his prose. These lyrics live on the page, with or without the memory of music. Interspersed with autobiographical sketches and anecdotes, Songs is a must-have for fans of Walker’s brilliant, razor-sharp storytelling. Includes a foreword by Jimmy Barnes ‘Pithy, poignant, and provocative, Don Walker is the Poet Laureate of Australian rock 'n’ roll.’ —Mandy Sayer ‘As ever, the doyen to the rest of us. Beauty, humour and pathos coexist in his songs. Any time I try to write, the voice of The Don is in my head: “You sure you wanna do that?” Consistently, persistently, the master.’ —Tim Rogers ‘Pithy, acerbic, dry and deeper than a drought-ridden dam. Don’s words are truly a thing of wonder.’ —Peter Garrett ‘One of the great poets of the Australian experience. His lyrics speak of and to an Australia that is too rarely glimpsed in song, giving voice to the forgotten and dispossessed, and transforming the currents of grief and love and tenderness that run through even the most ordinary of lives into something universal.’ —James Bradley ‘Walker is one of our great storytellers. As much a keeper of the flame as Lawson, Carey or White. But he cuts to the burning heart with far fewer words.’ —John Birmingham

Azad's debut YA fantasy is set in a city along the Silk Road that is a refuge for those of all faiths, where a young woman is threatened by the war between two clans of powerful djinn. Fatima lives in the city of Noor, a thriving stop along the Silk Road. There the music of myriad languages fills the air, and people of all faiths weave their lives together. However, the city bears scars of its recent past, when the chaotic tribe of Shayateen djinn slaughtered its entire population -- except for Fatima and two other humans. Now ruled by a new maharajah, Noor is protected from the Shayateen by the Ifrit, djinn of order and reason, and by their commander, Zulfikar.But when one of the most potent of the Ifrit dies, Fatima is changed in ways she cannot fathom, ways that scare even those who love her. Oud in hand, Fatima is drawn into the intrigues of the maharajah and his sister, the affairs of Zulfikar and the djinn, and the dangers of a magical battlefield.In this William C. Morris YA Debut Award finalist novel, Nafiza Azad weaves an immersive tale of magic and the importance of names; fiercely independent women; and, perhaps most importantly, the work for harmony within a city of a thousand cultures and cadences.

From two time British Fantasy Award-winning author, Jen Williams, comes the electrifying conclusion to the Winnowing Flame trilogy. Exhilarating epic fantasy for fans of Robin Hobb. 'One of the best fantasy novels of the year, if not the decade' James Oswald 'A fitting finale, triumphant and bittersweet in all the best ways' SciFiNow All is chaos. All is confusion. The Jure'lia are weak, but the war is far from over. Ebora was once a glorious city, defended by legendary warriors and celebrated in song. Now refugees from every corner of Sarn seek shelter within its crumbling walls, and the enemy that has poisoned their land won't lie dormant for long. The deep-rooted connection that Tormalin, Noon and the scholar Vintage share with their Eboran war-beasts has kept them alive so far. But with Tor distracted, and his sister Hestillion hell-bent on bringing ruthless order to the next Jure'lia attack, the people of Sarn need all the help they can get. Noon is no stranger to playing with fire and knows just where to recruit a new - and powerful - army. But even she underestimates the epic quest that is to come. It is a journey wrought with pain and sacrifice - a reckoning that will change the face of Sarn forever. Join forces with the heroes of the WINNOWING FLAME TRILOGY as they strive to silence the Jure'lia's poison song once and for all. What readers are saying about the WINNOWING FLAME trilogy: 'The woman is a genius! Modern and fresh fantasy... one of my favourite series of the last few years and it ended super strong' 'A fitting end to the trilogy and I am very sad to be leaving this world behind' 'Loved it! When I grow up, I want to be a war-beast' 'Williams knocks it out of the park' 'All the stars for this. ALL... An exceptional finale that exceeded every expectation' 'Feminist fantasy at its best' 'The perfect conclusion to an epic and epically brilliant fantasy trilogy. Jen Williams is a master' 'Brilliantly creative fantasy' 'Great pacing, top-notch writing, quality characterisation, plenty of action!' 'More action, scarier monsters and a more expansive story' 'Be ready for some great reveals and twists that may break your heart, but that will overall leave you fist pumping the air' 'The world building continues to blow my mind'