Book picks similar to
Jagged Youth by Howard Roffman


photography
art-books
art-photography
erotica

Avedon at Work: In the American West


Laura Wilson - 2003
    Yet in 1979, the Amon Carter Museum of Fort Worth, Texas, daringly commissioned him to do just that.The resulting 1985 exhibition and book, In the American West, was a milestone in American photography and Avedon's most important body of work. His unflinching portraits of oilfield and slaughterhouse workers, miners, waitresses, drifters, mental patients, teenagers, and others captured the unknown and often-ignored people who work at hard, uncelebrated jobs. Making no apologies for shattering stereotypes of the West and Westerners, Avedon said, "I'm looking for a new definition of a photographic portrait. I'm looking for people who are surprising—heartbreaking—or beautiful in a terrifying way. Beauty that might scare you to death until you acknowledge it as part of yourself."Photographer Laura Wilson worked with Avedon during the six years he was making In the American West. In Avedon at Work, she presents a unique photographic record of his creation of this masterwork—the first time a major photographer has been documented in great depth over an extended period of time. She combines images she made during the photographic sessions with entries from her journal to show Avedon's working methods, his choice of subjects, his creative process, and even his experiments and failures. Also included are a number of Avedon's finished portraits, as well as his own comments and letters from some of the subjects.Avedon at Work adds a new dimension to our understanding of one of the twentieth century's most significant series of portraits. For everyone interested in the creative process it confirms that, in Laura Wilson's words, "much as all these photographs may appear to be moments that just occurred, they are finally, in varying degrees, works of the imagination."

Blue Ice Landing


K.A. Moll - 2019
    She has a comfortable home, good friends, and a loving family. She’s also a widow, carrying a burden of responsibility for her wife’s untimely death. She lost her footing that day, gave up her dream to be a doctor, and swore off relationships. Now, three years later, she’s ready to turn her life on end in an effort to regain what she lost. At 29, Coby O’Brien is a woman with secrets. She’s estranged from her family, a recovering alcoholic, and alone because she’s convinced that she’s unlovable. When she loses her job as a heavy equipment operator, she’ll accept one that’ll force her to step way outside her comfort zone into a life where nothing is, as it seems. Having caught next to no breaks in life, it may turn out to be her break of a lifetime. When Coy quits her job to accept a position in Antarctica, her path will cross with Coby’s. Their attraction to one another will be immediate, and despite their differences, it won’t be long before they fall in love. But for these two, with all their baggage, will love be enough?

The Boy Next Door


Kate McMurray - 2011
    Jase had starred in many of Lowell's teenage fantasies, but Lowell is convinced Jase is straight. And yet, as they rekindle their friendship, it begins to look like Jase might not be so straight after all. Jase has problems of his own: his troubled ex-wife has allowed him full custody of their daughter on one condition: he never exposes her to his affairs with other men. The arrangement works just fine until he starts falling for Lowell and a whole new world of possibilities opens up for him. But how can he have a relationship with a man and still keep his daughter? Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Male/male sexual practices.

Captive Prince


C.S. Pacat - 2012
    S. Pacat comes the first in her critically acclaimed trilogy—with a bonus story.Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos. But when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity, and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave.Beautiful, manipulative, and deadly, his new master, Prince Laurent, epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country.For Damen, there is just one rule: never, ever reveal his true identity. Because the one man Damen needs is the one man who has more reason to hate him than anyone else…Includes an exclusive extra story!

Dear Mr. Hunk: A Steamy Standalone Instalove Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 271)


Flora Ferrari - 2021
    

His Filthy Little Brat


Kelli Wolfe - 2015
    But the first thing I see when I get home is eighteen-year-old Callie, and after that relaxing is out of the question. The little brat is living in my house while her mother is on vacation, and I can't stop thinking about her and what I'd like to do to her - if only she wasn't half my age and completely taboo. She won't leave me alone, though, and when she barges into my bedroom I can't take any more. Turns out it's Callie's first time, and I'm all out of protection. Do you think I'm going to stop?This story is *too taboo* for us to leave an excerpt, so use the "Look Inside" feature to get a preview.

Tattoos & Teacups


Anna Martin - 2012
    That was sixteen years ago, and Professor McKinnon has never quite settled in his new home or found his place this side of the pond. He might be prematurely old, but he has his cat, and his books, and that's all he needs.Then Chris Ford explodes into Robert's life with a crash of cymbals. The younger man is the polar opposite of Robert's calm civility. Bright tattoos cover his skin, and he wears his hair in a Mohawk and plays drums for a rock band. But he's a shot of color in Robert's black-and-white world, and Robert turns out to be the one thing Chris can count on. Despite all the reasons it shouldn't work, somehow it does.Even if Robert wasn't looking for love—especially not with someone nearly ten years his junior—he can't deny being with Chris is fun. But sometimes Chris's free-spirited nature leaves Robert feeling vulnerable. If they can't find a balance between tattoos and teacups, their relationship won't survive—and neither will Robert's newfound lust for life.

Legion


Riker Kane - 2019
    My life wasn't terrible but it wasn't amazing either. Just... average. That's how I ended up applying to the Legion Omega Defense. They're a new age military that came around about forty or so years ago to defeat the beasts in Pandora. The wars these days aren't fought with each other. Nope. We've got more serious threats to deal with. Some unknown dimension the scientists haven't quite figured out completely. 'Choose your class. Raise your weapon. Level up. Save the world.' That's what the brochure says. It's like they were targeted right at me. Some cash. A place to stay. A weapon and a chance to do my part against humanity's greatest threat. I might even make a friend or two. How can I turn it down? Joining the Legion... I have no idea what to expect. I guess I'll have to see this for myself..." NOTE: Legion is a modern-day, fantasy/sci-fi action-adventure containing simple litrpg/gamelit leveling mechanics, stats, abilities, fantasy harem & relationship elements, random battles, boss fights, and lots of dialogue. It's intended for mature readers.

More Than Friends / Drunk in Love


Aria Grace - 2014
    Don't get caught waiting to buy the next book when you can have it at your fingertips. In Book 1, Ryan is struggling to get over the break up from his long-term girlfriend. When he finally decides a fling might be exactly what he needs to move on, he expects to find it in a woman. But when he meets Drea's hot cousin, he feels an attraction to Zach that he's never felt before. But Ryan isn't gay. In Book 2, Ryan and Zach have been together for eight blissful months. Just as they are about to take their relationship to the next level, a visit with Zach's ex changes everything. For mature readers. Includes an M/M/M scene.

Lucky's Charms


Becca JamesonRosanna Leo - 2013
    Shifters claim their mates, and leprechauns pay unusual gambling debts. Undercover operative solving crime? Advertising executive seducing the boss? All business as usual at Lucky O'Reilly's.

Junk


Josephine Myles - 2013
    When an avalanche of books cuts off access to his living room, university librarian Jasper Richardson can no longer ignore the truth. His ever-growing piles of books, magazines and newspapers can no longer be classified as a “collection”. It’s a hoard, and he needs professional help. Professional clutter clearer and counselor Lewis Miller thinks he’s seen it all, but even he has to admit he’s shocked. Not so much by the state of Jasper’s house, but by the level of attraction he still feels for the sexy bookworm he remembers from school. What a shame that Lewis’s ethical code forbids relationships with clients. As Jasper makes slow but steady progress, though, the magnetic pull between them is so strong even Lewis is having trouble convincing himself it’s a temporary emotional attachment arising from the therapeutic process. Jasper longs to prove to Lewis that this is the real deal. But first he’ll have to lay bare the root of his hoarding problem…and reveal the dark secret hidden behind his walls of books. Product WarningsContains a level-headed counselor with a secret addiction, a bespectacled geek with a sweet tooth, a killer “to-be-read” pile, embarrassing parents, a van called Alice, and deliciously British slang.

Bad Idea


Damon Suede - 2013
    Reclusive comic book artist Trip Spector spends his life doodling super-square, straitlaced superheroes, hiding from his fans, and crushing on his unattainable boss until he meets the dork of his dreams. Silas Goolsby is a rowdy FX makeup creator with a loveless love life and a secret streak of geek who yearns for unlikely rescues and a truly creative partnership.Against their better judgment, they fall victim to chemistry, and what starts as infatuation quickly grows tender and terrifying. With Silas’s help, Trip gambles his heart and his art on a rotten plan: sketching out Scratch, a "very graphic novel" that will either make his name or wreck his career. But even a smash can't save their world if Trip retreats into his mild-mannered rut, leaving Silas to grapple with betrayal and emotions he can't escape. What will it take for this dynamic duo to discover that heroes never play it safe?

Written on the Body


Jeanette Winterson - 1992
    In places the palimpsest is so heavily worked that the letters feel like braille. I like to keep my body rolled away from prying eyes, never unfold too much, tell the whole story. I didn't know that Louise would have reading hands. She has translated me into her own book.

The Sartorialist


Scott Schuman - 2009
    His now-famous and much-loved blog, thesartorialist.com, is his showcase for the wonderful and varied sartorial tastes of real people across the globe. This book is a beautiful anthology of Scott?s favorite images, accompanied by his insightful commentary. It includes photographs of well-known fashion figures alongside people encountered on the street whose personal style and taste demand a closer look. From the streets of New York to the parks of Florence, from Stockholm to Paris, from London to Moscow and Milan, these are the men and women who have inspired Scott and the many diverse and fashionable readers of his blog. After fifteen years in the fashion business, Scott Schuman felt a growing disconnect between what he saw on the runways and in magazines, and what real people were wearing. The Sartorialist was his attempt to redress the balance. Since its beginning, the blog has become hugely admired and influential in the fashion industry and beyond. Thesartorialist.com is consistently named one of the top blogs in the world. A self-taught photographer, Schuman shoots for publications including French Vogue, American GQ, Fantastic Man and Elle, and a growing list of advertising clients. Scott has also shown his work at the New York photo gallery The Danziger Projects and appeared in the GAP Style Icon campaign in the fall of 2008. He has been named the number one fashion photography trend by American Photo magazine, as well as one of Time magazine?s top 100 design influencers.

The Great Life Photographers


LIFE - 2004
    THE GREAT LIFE PHOTOGRAPHERS presents the most iconic images of the past century, as well as little-known gems from the LIFE archives. Many of these images are markers of the major milestones of history--the first pictures from inside the womb or from outer space, Robert Capas falling soldier, and memorable scenes from Tiananmen Square. Defining celebrity portraits of Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles, and Michael Jackson are also featured. This startingly rich collection of both color and black-and-white photographs is a vivid fulfillment of Henry Luces charge: To see life; to see the world....To be amazed!