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  Black Boy Smile - A Memoir in...

  D. Watkins

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  A New York Times bestselling and award-winning author presents a complex story about his coming-of-age journey as a Black boy, from the societal roots of trauma to finding joy. "If I had two wishes, it would be that D. Watkins spend an entire book writing through the terrifying wonder of Black boyness in America, and for every human to read and share this book. I am shaken. Black Boy Smile changed my relationship to writing and me."―Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy and winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal   At nine years old, D. Watkins has three concerns in life: picking his dad’s Lotto numbers, keeping his Nikes free of creases, and being a man. Directly in his periphery is east Baltimore, a poverty-stricken city battling the height of the crack epidemic just hours from the nation’s capital. Watkins, like many boys around him, is thrust out of childhood and into a world where manhood means surviving by slinging crack on street corners and finding oneself on the right side of pistols. For thirty years, Watkins is forced to safeguard every moment of joy he experiences or risk losing himself entirely. Now, for the first time, Watkins harnesses these moments to tell the story of how he matured into the D. Watkins we know today—beloved author, college professor, editor-at-large of Salon.com, and devoted husband and father.Black Boy Smile lays bare Watkins’s relationship with his father and his brotherhood with the boys around him. He shares candid recollections of early assaults on his body and mind and reveals how he coped using stoic silence disguised as manhood. His harrowing pursuit of redemption, written in his signature street style, pinpoints how generational hardship, left raw and unnurtured, breeds toxic masculinity. Watkins discovers a love for books, is admitted to two graduate programs, meets with his future wife, an attorney—and finds true freedom in fatherhood.   Equally moving and liberating, Black Boy Smile is D. Watkins’s love letter to Black boys in concrete cities, a daring testimony that brings to life the contradictions, fears, and hopes of boys hurdling headfirst into adulthood. Black Boy Smile is a story proving that when we acknowledge the fallacies of our past, we can uncover the path toward self-discovery. Black Boy Smile is the story of a Black boy who healed.

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  India Uniform Nine - Secrets...

  Mark Perlstrom

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  An eye-opening account from inside an ultra-secret Customs unit
  
  Mark Perlstrom is no stranger to money laundering, drug smuggling and crooked firms.
  
  In the late 1980s he started working for HM Customs and was quickly thrown in the deep end, joining Operation C-Chase, an undercover investigation that penetrated Pablo Escobar's mighty Medellin cartel, brought down the corrupt BCCI bank and stopped London's gangs from moving their ill-gotten gains around the capital.
  
  As part of the Uniforms - the new, secret, anti-money-laundering squad - high-speed car chases, bugging homes and spying on targets was day-to-day business.
  
  Told by a true insider and revealing never-before-told-secrets of the industry, India Uniform Nine lays bare the intense rivalry between crime-fighting organisations and how that leads to corruption, chaos and some scarcely believable antics in the covert world. And how Mark's own operation was nearly scuppered by a US Customs bungle.

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  The Jackfruit Chronicles

  Shahnaz Ahsan

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  From award-winning food writer and novelist Shahnaz Ahsan comes a heartfelt memoir: The Jackfruit Chronicles. 
  With insight and love, Ahsan guides us through the vibrant flavours and captivating story of Bengali food and its place in Britain. Beginning with the arrival of her grandfather, Habib, in Manchester in the 1950s, this is a spellbinding journey not just through one family story, but also the broader tale of the Bangladeshi diaspora’s quest for a new life in Britain. 
  Ahsan beautifully weaves together this narrative of migration and hope with treasured family recipes, including dishes like sour tomato broth, jackfruit kofta curry, lentil fritters, fish with clementine peels and much more. 
  The Jackfruit Chronicles is a moving exploration of family, food and what it means to belong. 
  In her latest non-fiction book, The Jackfruit Chronicles, Shahnaz Ahsan presents a captivating autobiography that explores the cultural and culinary traditions of South Asia. The book, which is a top pick among memoirs, offers a unique insight into Indian cooking and travel. 
  nan 
  HarperCollins 2025

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  The Blind Woodsman - One Man's...

  John Furniss, Anni Furniss

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  The Blind Woodsman is an inspiring and motivational autobiography about a man who finds true joy after struggling with depression, drug addiction, anxiety, financial despair and a failed suicide attempt at the age of 16. John Furniss, more famously known today as "The Blind Woodsman," along with his wife, inspiration and fellow artist Anni share their amazing story with the mission to help others. Despite being blind, John is now a highly skilled woodworker creating incredible pieces of art in complete darkness. Chapter one starts with how John and Anni met preceded by John sharing his experiences as a young teen and challenges along the way. Be inspired by the amazing images of John's work and many inspirational messages that will make you laugh and smile along the way. A story that will give hope and inspiration to those dealing with depression, addiction and the many anxiety driven stresses in our lives.

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  Chasing Bruce - Confessions of a...

  Lori Krein

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  Lori’s obsession with Springsteen began in the summer of 1981, when she hid in the bathroom stall of a seaside bar for four hours because she heard Bruce might show up. That experience kicked off a journey of music, mayhem, and magic that’s lasted decades. This memoir is a tribute to the joy and connection Bruce has brought to her life and the lives of fellow fans who've shared their stories, their memories, and their hearts.

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  Pieces Falling - Navigating 9 11...

  Ann Van Hine

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  As a wife and mom, church volunteer, and small business owner, Ann Van Hine prided herself on being in control of her life.Until 9/11.Pieces Falling is Ann's story of navigating the very personal loss of her husband, Bruce-a New York City firefighter who died on 9/11- amid the very public tragedy that shocked the world.Her poignant reflections help answer the questions:• How do you cope when life lies in pieces around you?• How do you begin to rebuild in the face of all that has been lost?• How do you commemorate the past while creating space for your future?Ann's journey parallels the evolution of Ground Zero from a place of death and destruction to the moving Memorial Plaza today-and is a beautiful testament to the resilience of a woman, a family, and a nation.

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