They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America


Ivan Van Sertima - 1976
    Examining navigation and shipbuilding; cultural analogies between Native Americans and Africans; the transportation of plants, animals, and textiles between the continents; and the diaries, journals, and oral accounts of the explorers themselves, Ivan Van Sertima builds a pyramid of evidence to support his claim of an African presence in the New World centuries before Columbus. Combining impressive scholarship with a novelist’s gift for storytelling, Van Sertima re-creates some of the most powerful scenes of human history: the launching of the great ships of Mali in 1310 (two hundred master boats and two hundred supply boats), the sea expedition of the Mandingo king in 1311, and many others. In They Came Before Columbus, we see clearly the unmistakable face and handprint of black Africans in pre-Columbian America, and their overwhelming impact on the civilizations they encountered.

Mexican Made Easy: Everyday Ingredients, Extraordinary Flavor


Marcela Valladolid - 2011
    Now, Marcela shares the fantastic recipes her fans have been clamoring for in a cookbook that ties into her popular show.  A single mom charged with getting dinner on the table nightly for her young son, Fausto, Marcela embraces dishes that are fun and fast—and made with fresh ingredients found in the average American supermarket. Pull together a fantastic weeknight dinner in a flash with recipes such as Baja-Style Braised Chicken Thighs, Mexican Meatloaf with Salsa Glaze, and Corn and Poblano Lasagna. Expand your salsa horizons with Fresh Tomatillo and Green Apple Salsa and Grilled Corn Pico de Gallo, which can transform a simply grilled chicken breast or fish fillet. For a weekend brunch, serve up Chipotle Chilaquiles or Cinnamon Pan Frances. Delicious drinks, such as Pineapple-Vanilla Agua Fresca and Cucumber Martinis, and decadent desserts, including Mexican Chocolate Bread Pudding and Bananas Tequila Foster, round out the inspired collection. With 100 easy recipes and 80 sumptuous color photographs, Mexican Made Easy brings all of the energy and fresh flavors of Marcela’s show into your home.  Chipotle-Garbanzo Dip makes 3/4 cup 1 (15.5-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained2 garlic cloves, peeled1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chiles) plus more for serving2 teaspoons sesame seed paste (tahini)1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for servingSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantroTortilla chips Put the garbanzo beans, garlic, lemon juice, adobo sauce, and sesame paste in a food processor and puree until nearly smooth; the mixture will still be a little coarse. With the machine running, add the olive oil and process until well incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the dip to medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and a few drops of adobo sauce and top with the cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica


Zora Neale Hurston - 1938
    Tell My Horse is an invaluable resource and fascinating guide. Based on Zora Neale Hurston’s personal experience in Haiti and Jamaica, where she participated as an initiate rather than just an observer of voodoo practices during her visits in the 1930s, this travelogue into a dark world paints a vividly authentic picture of ceremonies and customs and superstitions of great cultural interest.

Lose Your Mother: A Journey Along the Atlantic Slave Route


Saidiya Hartman - 2007
    She retraces the history of the Atlantic slave trade from the fifteenth to the twentieth century and reckons with the blank slate of her own genealogy.There were no survivors of Hartman's lineage, nor far-flung relatives in Ghana of whom she had come in search. She traveled to Ghana in search of strangers. The most universal definition of the slave is a stranger--torn from kin and country. To lose your mother is to suffer the loss of kin, to forget your past, and to inhabit the world as a stranger. As both the offspring of slaves and an American in Africa, Hartman, too, was a stranger. Her reflections on history and memory unfold as an intimate encounter with places--a holding cell, a slave market, a walled town built to repel slave raiders--and with people: an Akan prince who granted the Portuguese permission to build the first permanent trading fort in West Africa; an adolescent boy who was kidnapped while playing; a fourteen-year-old girl who was murdered aboard a slave ship.Eloquent, thoughtful, and deeply affecting, Lose Your Mother is a powerful meditation on history, memory, and the Atlantic slave trade.

The Great Book of Ireland: Interesting Stories, Irish History & Random Facts About Ireland (History & Fun Facts 1)


Bill O'Neill - 2019
    In this trivia book, you’ll learn more about Ireland’s history, pop culture, folklore, and so much more! In The Great Book of Ireland, you’ll learn: How did Ireland get its name? Why is it known as the Emerald Isle? Who was St. Patrick really? What do leprechauns and shamrocks have to do with St. Patrick’s Day? Which Irish company had a 9,000-year lease? What is Ireland’s top attraction? Which movies have been filmed in Ireland? Which famous novel may have been based on an Irish myth? Which legends did the Irish believe in? And so much more! This book is packed with trivia facts about Ireland. Some of the facts you’ll learn in this book are shocking, some are tragic, and others will leave you with goosebumps. But they’re all interesting! Whether you’re just learning about Ireland or you already think you’re an expert on the state, you’ll learn something you didn’t know in every chapter. Your history teacher will be interesting at all of your newfound knowledge. So what are you waiting for? Get started to learn more about Ireland!

Las Vegas Then and Now


Su Kim Chung - 2002
    Part of the highly successful Then & Now series, each spread shows an image of Las Vegas as it was, and how it is currently.

The Melanin Empath: Discover the Knowledge of Melanated Beings Born With Empath Energy


Jade Asikiwe - 2019
    The ancient connection to the cosmos, and the side effects of knowledge… (Two Manuscripts in one, includes: Melanin Gift of the Cosmos, and Empath Natural Healing for Begginers) Do you frequently experience deep emotions: both of your own and of others’ face sensitivity to sensory stimuli or feel as if you can sense positive or negative energies when you walk into a room? No need to worry. You are not going crazy, and you are definitely not alone. You may just be an empath, a natural healer. Some people are quite sensitive to others, especially when dealing with crowds, which can drain them both mentally and physically. Does this sound familiar to you? Maybe just a simple trip to the supermarket exhausts you, causing you to need an hour of alone time as a way to recharge your energy. Maybe you are particularly sensitive to superficial people, or find yourself almost repulsed by narcissists and selfish behavior. It may also just be that you don’t feel as if you "belong” in this world as if there’s something greater behind what can physically be seen. In any case, there is an answer for why you feel this way. Dive into the realm of spirituality and open your mind to the possibilities that coexist with it. It is a journey of self-discovery and enlightened understanding. In "The Powers of an Empath & Natural Healer”, you will discover: The characteristics that distinguish one type of empath from another, along with which type is particularly significant to you The importance of crystals and how they can aid your empath type The #1 particular personality that can eventually destroy an empath if you’re not cautious and how to avoid them Why we, as a species, are more than just “human” The miraculous ingredient helpful in protecting and keeping your emotions in check The 7 energy channels to be aware of and protect Why you are a gift to the universe and how you can develop your ability for good The versatile plant you should be incorporating into your everyday life for relief 5 ways to properly take care of yourself in our energy-filled universe And much more. Even if you are skeptical about the spiritual world and the powers of natural healing, there must be an explanation for your unique perspective of the universe and your ability to sense the energy around you. If you are even slightly curious to understand more about your powers as an empath, it can only benefit your current knowledge to discover more. After all of the confusion you have had to endure throughout your life, you owe it to yourself to recognize the “why” behind it all. You are not going crazy and you do not need therapy, you have a special gift that most common people don’t want to or can’t comprehend. Unearth the explanation behind your misplaced feelings and begin your life as the natural healer and empath you were born to be. Even if you may not be interested in pursuing life as an empath, uncovering more about who you are and how you perceive the universe will simply help you grow as an individual.

A Slave No More: Two Men Who Escaped to Freedom, Including Their Own Narratives of Emancipation


David W. Blight - 2007
    A mere handful are first-person accounts by slaves who ran away and freed themselves. Now two newly uncovered narratives, and the biographies of the men who wrote them, join that exclusive group with the publication of A Slave No More, a major new addition to the canon of American history. Handed down through family and friends, these narratives tell gripping stories of escape: Through a combination of intelligence, daring, and sheer luck, the men reached the protection of the occupying Union troops. David W. Blight magnifies the drama and significance by prefacing the narratives with each man’s life history. Using a wealth of genealogical information, Blight has reconstructed their childhoods as sons of white slaveholders, their service as cooks and camp hands during the Civil War, and their climb to black working-class stability in the north, where they reunited their families. In the stories of Turnage and Washington, we find history at its most intimate, portals that offer a rich new answer to the question of how four million people moved from slavery to freedom. In A Slave No More, the untold stories of two ordinary men take their place at the heart of the American experience.

The Lincoln Story Book A Judicious Collection of the Best Stories and Anecdotes of the Great President, Many Appearing Here for the First Time in Book Form


Henry Llewellyn Williams - 2005
    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Relentless - An Immigrant Story


Wudasie Nayzgi - 2018
    But her desperate attempts to find help elsewhere are abruptly thwarted by a new outbreak of fighting initiated by an untested government determined to win at any cost. With her husband forced into conscription, her time and options running out, she must make a fateful decision - remain where she is and jeopardize the life of one child, or flee her beloved homeland, leaving her husband and second daughter behind... possibly forever. Relentless is the powerful and inspiring story of an Eritrean woman who faced incredible obstacles, defied a ruthless regime, and became an American immigrant success story, all while never giving up fighting for the only thing that really ever mattered: family. "There is a proverb in my native Tigrinya language,both warning and admonishment.It goes like this:Haki tseraba mot keraba.It means, if you speak the truth, you will gather many enemies." The Dreams of Freedom stories One family, two powerful accounts of love, heartbreak, and determination from one of the world's most isolated and abusive governments in modern history. It's 1991, and a bloody thirty-year conflict with Ethiopia has just ended, earning Eritrea its first taste of freedom in over a century. But peace is a delicate flower, and power is all-too easily corrupting. Soon, the small Horn-of-African nation will find itself at war once again, back in the familiar stranglehold of despotism, except this time it will be at the hands of its own beloved leader and war hero. Families are torn apart, suspicion and desperation grow. Human rights are violated. In the midst of worsening oppression, one man and one woman will risk everything to save their children from this life of violence and give them the future they once imagined for themselves.. ~ Relentless - An Immigrant Story by Wudasi Nayzgi and Kenneth James Howe ~ I Will Not Grow Downward - Memoir Of An Eritrean Refugee by Yikealo Neab and Kenneth James Howe I WILL NOT GROW DOWNWARD - MEMOIR OF AN ERITREAN REFUGEE ONE MAN'S LONG AND PERILOUS FLIGHT FROM AFRICA'S HERMIT KINGDOMTHIRTY YEARS OF BLOODY CONFLICT with a powerful enemy never broke the spirit of the Eritrean people. After winning their freedom from Ethiopia, a young man dreams of starting a new life, building a home, and teaching his children what it means to be the masters of their own fate. But all-too soon, the fighting resumes. Rounded up and forced into conscription, subjected to inhumane treatment, made to serve a despotic leader in an army fighting a war nobody wants, he will have to sacrifice much just for a chance to get back what he lost - his family, his freedom, his birthright. But will it be worth it? Or will he simply lose everything in the end? I Will Not Grow Downward offers an exceedingly rare glimpse inside the highly secretive and brutally repressive regime known as Africa's North Korea.

The All-American Cowboy Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes From the World's Greatest Cowboys


Ken Beck - 2000
    With movie and television trivia, western facts, and rare photos, this is a rootin'-tootin' good cookbook! Illustrated and indexed.

Vegas and the Mob: Forty Years of Frenzy


Al W. Moe - 2013
    Within five years Las Vegas was the Mob's greatest venture and most spectacular success, and through 40 years of frenzy, murder, deceit, scams, and skimming, the FBI listened on phone taps and did virtually nothing to stop the fun. This book brings out the truth about the Mob's control of the casinos in Vegas like you've never heard it before, from start to finish.Early on, two of the nation's most powerful, dirty, and murderous crime family bosses went to prison in the 1930's: Al Capone, and Lucky Luciano. Frank Nitti took over the Chicago Outfit, while Frank Costello ran things for the Luciano Family. Both men were influenced by their bosses from prison, and both sent enough gangsters into the streets to influence loan sharking, extortion, union control, and drug sales.Bugsy Siegel worked for both groups, handling a string of murders and opening up gaming on the west coast, and that included Las Vegas, an oasis of sin in the middle of the desert - and it was legal. Most of it. The FBI watched as the Mob took control of casino after casino, killed off the competition, and stole enough money to bribe their way to respectability back home.By the 1950's, nearly every major crime family had a stake in a Las Vegas casino. Some did better than others. Casino owners watched-over their profits while competing crime families eyed each other's success like jealous lovers. Murder often followed.

S Is for Southern: A Guide to the South, from Absinthe to Zydeco


David DiBenedetto - 2017
    Tennessee whiskey may technically be bourbon, but don’t let anyone in Kentucky hear you call it that. And while boiling blue crabs may be the norm across the Lowcountry in South Carolina and Georgia, try that in front of Marylanders and they’re likely to put you in the pot.Now, from the editors of Garden & Gun comes this illustrated encyclopedia covering age-old traditions and current culture. S Is for Southern contains nearly five hundred entries spanning every letter of the alphabet, with essays from notable Southern writers including:Roy Blount, Jr., on humidityFrances Mayes on the magnoliaJessica B. Harris on field peasRick Bragg on Harper LeeJon Meacham on the Civil WarAllison Glock on Dolly PartonRandall Kenan on Edna LewisThe Lee Brothers on boiled peanutsJonathan Miles on Larry BrownJulia Reed on the Delta

Ethiopia: The Bradt Travel Guide


Philip Briggs - 1995
    It includes plenty of tips on bridging the cultural gap. It covers various Ethiopia's national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

USA's Best Trips: 99 Themed Itineraries Across America


Sara BensonKarla Zimmerman - 2010
    Offers ninety-nine itineraries for trips throughout the United States, including forty-eight hour itineraries for New Orleans, Manhattan, Boston, and Miami.