by Sarah B. Hart About the Book: Dr. Sarah Hart argues that literature and mathematics complement each other in illustrating humanity’s journey. Books like Moby Dick, Alice in Wonderland, and Jurassic Park feature mathematical ideas that deepen their meaning. Through humor and insight, this exploration reveals how recognizing math in literature can enrich our appreciation…
by Imani Perry About the Book: Imani Perry explores the deep cultural and emotional ties between the history of Black people and the color blue. From indigo cloths traded during slavery to blues music’s blend of sorrow and resilience, Perry weaves personal narrative, history, and art into a powerful meditation on race. Drawing on symbols…
by Sanaka Hiiragi About the Book: The Lantern of Lost Memories tells the story of Mr. Hirasaki’s magical photo studio, a gateway to the afterlife where the departed revisit their memories through a “spinning lantern.” Guests—including a kind yakuza, a devoted teacher, and a young girl—relive their past and choose one cherished moment to photograph.…
Reginald Dwayne Betts tackles the complexities of life after incarceration through powerful poetry. Navigating themes of redemption, fatherhood, and identity, his poems offer a deeply personal reflection on justice, hope, and the long road to healing. This collection informs Betts's solo show Felon: An American Washi Tale in which Betts collaborated with artist Kyoko Ibe…
This biography of Japanese American artist Ruth Asawa traces her journey from internment camps during WWII to becoming a renowned sculptor. The book explores her resilience, innovative wire sculptures, and dedications to arts education. Through personal stories, Chase illuminates how Asawa's identity, experiences, and vision helped her transform prejudice and hardship into creativity and public…
Aspiring artist Louisa becomes enchanted by three figures nestled in the corner of a famous painting. Intrigued, she embarks on a cross-country journey to uncover their story. Twenty-five years earlier, in a coastal town, four teenagers--misfits with bruised pasts--bonded over summer days on an abandoned pier, forging fierce loyalty and creative escape. Their friendship inspired…
Author Nicholas Smith examines the history, innovation, and societal impact of sneakers in American life through marketing, economic, and cultural trends. Smith weaves together a story of how the sneaker evolved over the course of a century. As production methods were revolutionized, the perception of this iconic footwear shifted as well, making them into must-have…
Alabama, 1973. When nurse Civil Townsend begins work at the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, her goal is to care for her African American community. Among her patients are two poor, young Black girls, Erica and India. Civil learns that a terrible medical procedure has been inflicted on the girls without their consent and reports the…
When ten year old Mona experiences a sudden, brief loss of sight, her grandfather Henry decides to give her a gallery of artworks to visit in her mind as she faces potential permanent blindness. Through fifty-two weekly trips to museums in Paris, Mona receives an emotional art history education. Art lessons become tied to life…
This short collaboration celebrates sneaker culture through poetry. Consisting of two parts, part one is a micro saga-in verse about a quest to find sneakers but yields an even great discovery beyond shoes. Part two is a collection of prose poems, a kind of mixtape, which explores many aspects of sneaker culture from overarching artistic…
Author Natalie Dykstra recounts the story of Isabella Stewart Gardner's extraordinary life in this moving and illuminating biography. A Boston socialite, Gardner lived a life full of passion but one which was also marked by grief. Dykstra delivers compelling insight into Gardner's friendships, world travels, and her keen eye for collecting treasures all of which…
Elise Hooper's biography of Dorothea Lange follows her life from early successes running a portrait studio in San Francisco to her Depression-era work documenting America's suffering and injustice. As she pursues her art through personal and professional turmoil, Lange's camera becomes a powerful tool for empathy, reform, and truth-telling, even at great personal cost. This…