Conventional wisdom tells us that marriage was illegal for African Americans during the antebellum era, and that if people married at all, their vows were tenuous ones: "until death or distance do us part." It is an impression that imbues beliefs about black families to this day. But it's a perception primarily based on documents produced by abolitionists, the state, or other partisans. It doesn't tell the whole story. Drawing on a trove of less well-known sources including family historie...

This book analyses how contemporary genre cinema represents trans-identified characters.Informed by key debates within transfeminism, queer theory, contemporary trans studies – and engaging with the concerns voiced by gender critical feminism – this culturally oriented book critiques the representation of trans characters in a range of cinematic genres, including the musical, period costume drama, the road movie, melodrama, coming-of-age stories, and romances. The case studies addr...

This abridgement of The Oxford Companion to African American Literature will make the entries of the greatest general interest available to a wider audience, providing the same calibre of scholarship and information as the original volume. The Concise collects more than 400 biographies (authors, critics, literary characters and historical figures) of both well-known figures and the lives and careers of writers not found in other reference works. The abridgement also includes the 1...

The 50 most important structures and systems in the human body, each explained in half a minute. The bestselling 30-Second series offers a new approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand. Every title takes a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. Each idea, no matter how complex, is explained using a mere two pages, 300 words, and one picture: all easily digested in only half a minute. 30-Second Anatomy of...

This book is about a stylish and athletic African American middle school girl named Sydnie, who moves from her hometown of St. Louis to Georgia. When she attends her new school, her hopes is to quickly obtain a friendship with the "in crowd" like she did back in St. Louis. However, she realizes that they are bullies and decides to make other friends. After she is given the position of point guard on the school's basketball team, she leads the team all the way to the championship. She finds...

This illustrated edition includes detailed illustrations, a story summary, an author biography, and a characters list .The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a timeless children’s classic that blends mystery, emotional growth, and the quiet power of nature.The story follows Mary Lennox, a lonely and spoiled girl who is sent to live in her uncle’s vast and gloomy estate after the death of her parents. Isolated and withdrawn, Mary’s life begins to change when she disco...

A heartbreaking new novel of grief, family and the enduring power of love from the author of We Must Be BraveWhen I open my eyes I see a small dark shape at the end of the pew under the window. A piece of cloth, a handkerchief perhaps? No, a woman’s headscarf.The blue is bright, Mediterranean.I can’t for the life of me remember seeing it before. But all the same it seems familiar. More than familiar. As if I’ve held it...

Hold tight. We are going into a number of dark places, but I think I know the way. Just don't let go of my arm . . .Unrivalled master of suspense Stephen King takes the unsuspecting reader on a fantastic journey through the dark shadows of our innermost fears.Do the dead sing?In this bumper collection of chilling tales, which includes the brilliant story adapted into the acclaimed movie The Mist, we meet: a woman who has never crossed The Reach, th...

This book focuses on using faculty mentoring to empower doctoral students to successfully complete their doctoral studies. The book is a collection of mentoring chapters showcasing professors and dissertation advisors from the most prestigious universities in the United States. They provide an extraordinary range of mentoring advice that speaks directly to the doctoral student. Each chapter addresses a professional or personal component of the doctoral process that represents how these exc...

Few films in the twenty-first century have represented coming-of-age with the beauty and brutality of Bande de Filles (or Girlhood). This book provides an in-depth examination of Céline Sciamma’s film, focusing on its portrayal of female adolescence in contemporary Paris.Motivated by the absence of black female characters in French cinema, Sciamma represents the lives of figures that have passed largely unnoticed on the big screen. While observing the girls’ tough...

"After Dinner Conversation" Magazine - June 2021Cost Of Human Life: AI software designed to more efficiently run the railroad system runs into a programming issue.Step Back: A husband and wife decide to have a natural childbirth and find it's more than they bargained.The Cave Of Adventure: A scientist that studies fish memory wanders into a cave that gives her the chance to share ...