Winner, 2017 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry Winner, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in the Poetry category Winner, 2018 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award Winner, 2018 BCALA Best Poetry Award Winner, Abel Meeropol Award for Social Justice Finalist, Neustadt International Prize for Literature Winner, 2021 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize One of the most magnetic and esteemed poets in today’s literary landscape, Patricia Smith fearlessly confronts the tyranny against the black male body and the tenacious grief of mothers in her compelling new collection, Incendiary Art. She writes an exhaustive lament for mothers of the "dark magicians," and revisits the devastating murder of Emmett Till. These dynamic sequences serve as a backdrop for present-day racial calamities and calls for resistance. Smith embraces elaborate and eloquent language— "her gorgeous fallen son a horrid hidden / rot. Her tiny hand starts crushing roses—one by one / by one she wrecks the casket’s spray. It’s how she / mourns—a mother, still, despite the roar of thorns"— as she sharpens her unerring focus on incidents of national mayhem and mourning. Smith envisions, reenvisions, and ultimately reinvents the role of witness with an incendiary fusion of forms, including prose poems, ghazals, sestinas, and sonnets. With poems impossible to turn away from, one of America’s most electrifying writers reveals what is frightening, and what is revelatory, about history.

Short stories that are “achingly true to life when it comes to the many ways mothers and daughters grow together and apart, over and over again” (O, The Oprah Magazine). “Mothers and daughters go at it in the way only mothers and daughters can, with full hearts and claws out, in Natalie Serber’s funny, bittersweet collection” of short fiction named a New York Times Notable Book (Vanity Fair). In a battle between a teenager and her mother, wheat bread and plain yogurt become weapons. An aimless college student, married to her much older professor, sneaks cigarettes while caring for their newborn son. On the eve of her husband’s fiftieth birthday, a pilfered fifth of rum, an unexpected tattoo, and rogue teenagers leave a woman questioning her place. And in a suite of stories, we follow capricious, ambitious single mother Ruby and her cautious, steadfast daughter, Nora, through their tumultuous life—stray men, stray cats, and psychedelic drugs—in 1970s California. “The characters are irresistible . . . Serber writes with exquisite patience and sensitivity, and is an expert in the many ways that love throws people together and splits them apart, often at the same time.” —TheWall Street Journal “From its first page, Serber’s debut collection plunges us into the humid heat and lightning of a perfect storm: that of American mothers and daughters struggling for power, love, meaning, and identity. . . . Serber’s writing sparkles: practical, strong, brazenly modern, marbled with superb descriptions.” —San Francisco Chronicle “Mothers and daughters burst from these pages in stories about food, boyfriends, birthdays, husbands and more.” —Houston Chronicle “In the tradition of Lorrie Moore and Tobias Wolff, Natalie Serber’s stories uncover the secret hearts of seemingly ordinary people. Funny, heart-felt, and keenly perceptive, this is a book worth shouting about.” —Dan Chaon, author of If I Loved You I Would Tell You This

It is more than a year since Covid-19 invaded our countries and our bodies, causing us to long for the touch of loved ones, to fight anxiety and despair, and to adjust to the stunning effects of prolonged isolation. We watched as the numbers of deaths mounted and agreed that it was the worst health crisis we’d experienced in a hundred years. We saw pictures of those we’d lost, and resisted having them treated as mere statistics. What we longed for were stories about people lost to the insidious virus, and those left behind. We wanted stories of survival, coping, finding our way to the future. We wanted stories that made us laugh, weep, empathize, share sadness, become better people ourselves. That’s because storytelling, whether sung, danced, painted, acted, or written in prose and poetry is primal. It’s how we come to understand the world around us. Stories give us wholeness and allow us to recover something vital and true in our lives. Stories, as writer Sue Monk Kidd knows, are “the life of the soul.” Telling and hearing stories of how we got through this dreadful pandemic is how we say what happened, with empathy, so that future generations will know what it was like to live in isolation for over a year, to feel afraid while trying to be brave, to cope, and even to grow because of the shared experience. The stories we tell, and the carefully crafted words we use to tell them are an act of remembrance in which our words build monuments to a time when our lives called upon us to carry on and to endure, to know what really matters, to know what to cling to and what to let go. In making much of the mundane, 53 poets share 70 poems in the anthology A 21st Century Plague: Poetry from a Pandemic. The poems, by diverse and award-winning writers, capture and share the collective Covid experience in which we became “gardeners of the spirit who know that without darkness nothing comes to birth,” as writer May Sarton put it. They reveal that we were brave in our contemplative journey, and that we dared “to deal with our bag of fears,” as Eudora Welty said we must. The poetic expressions of such courage are healing. They soothe us and help us recover from, and recall, a transformative experience. This anthology adds to the tradition of sharing stories in well-chosen words that move and enlighten us.

Deep within the walls of corporate America lies a world of office politics, power struggles, and bureaucratic madness. And in this world, there is one book that reigns supreme as a manual to navigating the treacherous waters of the workplace - The Memorandum! A Poetic Partner-In-Crime - for everyone struggling with an urge to scream into their coffee cup Written by the masterful poet and storyteller Kewayne Wadley, "The Memorandum" is a collection of short stories and poems that brilliantly captures the unique and often absurd experiences of the modern-day office worker. From a bear on a job interview to the changing colors of the “Perfect Boss,” a combination of humor and heart awaits you. The soul-crushing monotony of endless meetings or the relentless pursuit of the ever-elusive promotion, Wadley's words perfectly encapsulate the daily struggle that we all know too well. Not a Mere Assortment of Superficial Tales - but a profound mental health book about self- love and growth Don't be fooled by this workplace poem book's humorous illustrations and witty quips. Beneath the surface lies a deeper, more poignant message that speaks to the very core of what it means to be human. Through his vivid storytelling, Wadley explores the themes of love, loss, and self- discovery, taking readers on an emotional journey that is both relatable and inspiring. A Trusty Sidekick with Valuable Insights - for both seasoned veterans and rookies Whether you're an experienced executive or a fresh-faced intern, from grappling with the politics of the break room to navigating the treacherous waters of office romance, or simply trying to stay afloat in a sea of endless emails and meetings this poetry book is the playful partner you need by your side to survive and thrive in the modern-day workplace. A Well-Rounded Work of Art - with attractive illustrations and lessons for life In addition to its insightful commentary on the corporate world, this workplace wellness anthology also features stunning black and white illustrations that perfectly capture the humor and pathos of everyday office life. With its rich tapestry of characters, relatable scenarios, and incisive observations, this stress relief story book is a true tour de force that will leave you inspired to take on the challenges of the workplace with renewed vigor and determination. Relaxing Gift for Women and Men - of thoughtfulness, relatability, and smiles Looking for an office humor gift that will leave your friend in stitches, or maybe just nodding along with recognition of a shared frustrating experience? "The Memorandum" is the perfect present of smiles (and catharsis) to your favorite cube-mate, coworker, or boss. They will thank you (and maybe even owe you a favor or two) for making their workdays a little brighter. Join the office chaos and grab your copy of The Memorandum today!

Sixty short stories and poems reveal the sometimes heartbreaking, often affirming tales of adoption. Written from the point of view of birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees, this unique anthology spans nations and cultures. Includes works by Isabel Allende, Charles Baxter, Edward Hirsch, Alison Lurie, Joni Mitchell, Alberto Rios, Mary TallMountain, and others.

In his second poetry collection, Luke Hankins continues to engage profound questions of being and the nature of human experience in the aftermath of a break with the fundamentalist religion of his upbringing. Big ideas are not considered off-limits in these poems, yet the poems remain grounded in daily life and language. From theological and philosophical inquiries, to spare meditations on moments of sensory intensity, the poems in Radiant Obstacles are both wide-ranging and finely honed.