Maurice Carlos Ruffin on how his dystopian future novel reflects being black in America today

“My name doesn’t matter,” proclaims the narrator of Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s debut novel, “We Cast a Shadow.” “All you need to know is that I’m a phantom, a figment ….” The first words of Ruffin’s book seem to be a tribute to the opening of Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” which begins, “I am in... Continue reading at 'Los Angeles Times'

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #dystopian future #america today #invisible man

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Why you should read some Samuel Delany today (and every day).

Today Samuel Delany–inventor/expander of several galaxies–turns 82. And I for one would like to throw some birthday love towards this greatest of octogenarians. Known for his high-concept science fiction and his sharp theories on social contact, Delany’s canon spans genres and generations. I... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-04-01 17:53:48 UTC ]
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Robert Lowell! W.E.B. Du Bois on WWI! Black spies! 27 books out in paperback this April.

April, remarkably, is here already—remarkable only, I suppose, because my internal calendar is still stuck on January all too often—and that means that warmer weather and wonderful blooms are also here, both of which I love. (And a solar eclipse on the 8th!) And what better to usher in the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-04-01 08:32:36 UTC ]
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PEN Union Cries Foul in Contract Talks as Criticism of PEN America Intensifies

A proposal in ongoing contract negotiations between PEN America management and PEN America United, its staff union, has led to charges by the union that the organization’s leadership is trying to stifle union members’ free speech rights—an assertion PEN management firmly disputes. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-03-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The best early Amazon Big Spring Sale deals you can shop today

There's another jumbo-sized Amazon sale on the way. The Big Spring Sale, as it's called, will run from March 20 to March 25 and include a variety of discounts on "seasonally relevant items." This doesn't look to be another Prime Day situation, however; Amazon says most of the offers will be... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-03-15 16:15:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #landing page #ve rounded #days ago #coming days #kindle


7 Books By Black Authors That Might Not Be On Your Reading List, But Should Be

“I Don’t Want To Die Poor” author Michael Arceneaux discusses his upcoming book and his fight for representation. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2024-03-04 10:45:07 UTC ]
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An indie publisher finds its future – with a public library

Angel City Press in Los Angeles has long published local authors. In a bold move, its founders are now giving the press to the city’s public library. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2024-02-28 15:49:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public library #bold move #indie publisher


Maurice Vellekoop Comes Out in a Big Way

The veteran comics creator’s first full-length graphic memoir, ‘I’m So Glad We’ve Had This Time Together’ (Pantheon), is a coming-of-age story mixed with a family history so unsparingly honest that his mother dreaded its publication. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-27 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Virtuous Con Returns—and Looks Toward the Future

At the 4th annual Black woman–owned online convention, which celebrates sci-fi, fantasy, and comics artists each Black History Month, panelists discussed topics including book banning, incorporating real-world issues into children’s books, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-27 05:00:00 UTC ]
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'Today' co-anchor Savannah Guthrie puts her faith on the line in a new book

Guthrie is now a best-selling author with "Mostly What God Does," a manual for people on how to use faith in their everyday lives. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-02-23 11:00:15 UTC ]
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12 Brilliant Short Stories by Black Writers to Read Year-Round

From one girl’s aspiration to Olympic gymnastics glory, to a boy’s stint living in the Idaho wilderness in hopes of fixing his unruly behavior, something that remains a guiding principle in Black storytelling is the breadth of our lives. These stories, a collection of some of EL’s most-loved... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2024-02-22 12:00:00 UTC ]
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A Muslim Teen Finds Her Voice in Post-9/11 America: Read an Excerpt from HOPE ABLAZE by Sarah Mughal Rana

Read an excerpt of Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana, a YA novel about a Muslim girl who writes a protest poem that goes viral, changing her whole life. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-02-21 12:30:00 UTC ]
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Leslie Jamison! Michiko Kakutani! The wildness of Old English! 23 new books out today.

It’s another Tuesday, and that means that a bevy of beautiful new books are out. And it’s a brilliant bevy indeed: below, you’ll find twenty-three new titles to consider that span an incredible range, including a raw new memoir from Leslie Jamison on motherhood and the self; the esteemed... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-02-20 09:46:58 UTC ]
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Panel Mania: 'Shook! A Black Horror Anthology,' Edited by Second Sight Publishing

Published by Dark Horse Books in collaboration with the African American horror publisher Second Sight Publishing, 'Shook! A Black Horror Anthology' collects a dozen tales of hair-raising terror, monsters, and gore grounded in America’s grim racial history and enlivened by humor and hip-hop culture. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-13 05:00:00 UTC ]
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3 New Debut Novels by Black Women Authors

Three Black women novelists make their debut with tales of inheritance, friendship, and alternate futures. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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WAWOG Protestors Disrupt PEN America Event with Mayim Bialik

Protesters from Writers Against the War on Gaza disrupted a PEN America event featuring actor and outspoken Israel supporter Mayim Bialik in Los Angeles on January 31. One protestor, author Randa Jarrar. was physically removed from the scene. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-05 05:00:00 UTC ]
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5 New Books to Read for Black History Month

These books by Black authors include moving explorations of the past, bold visions of the future, and sage advice for the present. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-01 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Archie Comics of the Future

Riding a rising tide of successful streaming adaptations that have updated the iconic comics brand—including last December's Hindi-language musical comedy film, 'The Archies'—the future of Archie Comics has never been brighter. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
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This is the future of generative AI, according to generative AI

As part of our year-end story package, we tasked ChatGPT with writing a guest post about the future of generative AI. The prompt asked for a 1,200 word article (a number it undercut by quite a margin) that explored both the potential negative and positive outcomes of the technology. We then... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-12-28 16:00:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #collaborative approach #making waves #virtual worlds #double-edged sword #past mistakes #manga


Audiobook Review: ‘Sing a Black Girl’s Song,’ by Ntozake Shange

A new volume of the Black feminist’s previously unpublished writing is read in audiobook form by a full cast of Black women. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-12-15 10:00:20 UTC ]
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