The Poisonwood Bible is one of my favorite books, and when I finished it I wanted to learn more about Africa. Here are some good ones from that era.

Michela Wrong

This book traces the rise and fall of Mobutu Sese Seko, the president of Zaire for thirty-two years

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Virginia

Living on the Brink of Disaster in Mobutu's Congo

Known as "the Leopard," the president of Zaire for thirty-two years, Mobutu Sese Seko, showed all the cunning of his namesake -- seducing Western powers, buying up the opposition, and dominating his people with a devastating combination of brutality and charm. While the population was pauperized, he plundered the country's copper and diamond resources, downing pink champagne in his jungle palace like some modern-day reincarnation of Joseph Conrad's crazed station manager. Michela Wrong, a correspondent who witnessed Mobutu's last days, traces the rise and fall of the idealistic young journalist who became the stereotype of an African despot. Engrossing, highly readable, and as funny as it is tragic, In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz assesses the acts of the villains and the heroes in this fascinating story of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz

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Ishmael Beah

One of the most important war stories of our generation, this book tells the story of a 13 year old boy conscripted into the army in Sierra Leone

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

In a heart-wrenching, candid autobiography, a human rights activist offers a firsthand account of war from the perspective of a former child soldier, detailing the violent civil war that wracked his native Sierra Leone and the government forces that transformed a gentle young boy into a killer as a member of the army. 75,000 first printing.

A Long Way Gone

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Julie Flint

Alcinda Honwana

Alex de Waal

Richard Dowden

Stephanie Kitchen

Sudan’s westernmost region, Darfur, sprang from oblivion into sudden notoriety early in 2004, when a war of hideous proportions unleashed what the United Nations called “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”

A Short History of a Long War

This book details the history of Darfur, its conflicts, and the designs on the region by the governments in Khartoum and Tripoli. It investigates the identity of the infamous "Janjawiid" militia and the nature of the insurrection, charts the unfolding crisis and the international response, and concludes by asking what the future holds in store.

Darfur

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African history

Percival Everett

Acclaimed author of James and Erasure, Percival Everett’s thought provoking murder mystery set in Mississippi. Shortlisted for the Man Booker prize in 2022.

Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

A Novel

An uncanny literary thriller addressing the painful legacy of lynching in the US, by the author of Telephone Percival Everett’s The Trees is a page-turner that opens with a series of brutal murders in the rural town of Money, Mississippi. When a pair of detectives from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation arrive, they meet expected resistance from the local sheriff, his deputy, the coroner, and a string of racist White townsfolk. The murders present a puzzle, for at each crime scene there is a second dead body: that of a man who resembles Emmett Till. The detectives suspect that these are killings of retribution, but soon discover that eerily similar murders are taking place all over the country. Something truly strange is afoot. As the bodies pile up, the MBI detectives seek answers from a local root doctor who has been documenting every lynching in the country for years, uncovering a history that refuses to be buried. In this bold, provocative book, Everett takes direct aim at racism and police violence, and does so in a fast-paced style that ensures the reader can’t look away. The Trees is an enormously powerful novel of lasting importance from an author with his finger on America’s pulse.

The Trees

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Gerard Prunier

The Rwandan genocide sparked a horrific bloodbath that swept across sub-Saharan Africa, ultimately leading to the deaths of some four million people. In this extraordinary history of the recent wars in Central Africa, Gerard Prunier offers a gripping account of how one grisly episode laid the groundwork for a sweeping and disastrous upheaval.

Heavy Hardcover (2 to 4 lbs)

Congo, the Rwandan Genocide, and the Making of a Continental Catastrophe

Examines the horrific wars and political changes that have taken place in sub-Saharan Africa upon the end of the Rwandan genocide in 1996 through a detailed guide of the events that have taken place in recent years, along with profiles of some its most important figures and leaders.

Africa's World War

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Charlene Gilbert

Quinn Eli

A photographic essay which offers a striking and moving tribute to African-American farmers. This is the companion book to Gilbert's PBS documentary, HOMECOMING.

Homecoming traces the history of black farmers from Reconstruction to the present, as they struggle to survive today. Homecoming pays tribute not only to the devastating losses they have suffered throughout the century, but also to the legacy of hope that endures in the story of African-Americans working the land.

The Story of African-American Farmers

An illustrated history of African-American farmers, Homecoming is a requiem for a way of life that has almost disappeared. Based on the film Homecoming, produced for the Independent Television Service with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The videocassette of Homecoming is available from California Newsreel at www.newsreel.org.

Homecoming

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Black History

Jennifer Garvey Berger

Keith Johnston

When faced with complex challenges or uncertain outcomes, many leaders believe that if they are smart enough, work hard enough, or turn to the best management tools, they will be able to find the right answer, predict and plan for the future, and break down tasks to produce controllable results. But what are leaders to do when this isn't the case? Rather than offering one-size-fits-all tips and tricks drawn from the realm of business as usual, Simple Habits for Complex Times provides three integral practices that enable leaders to navigate the unknown. By taking multiple perspectives, asking different questions, and seeing more of their system, leaders can better understand themselves, their roles, and the world around them. They can become more nimble, respond with agility, and guide their organizations to thrive in an ever-shifting business landscape. The more leaders use these simple habits, the more they enhance their performance and solve increasingly common, sticky business issues with greater acumen. Whether in large or small organizations, in government or the private sector, in the U.S. or overseas, leaders will turn to this book as a companion that helps them grow into the best version of themselves.

Powerful Practices for Leaders

Simple Habits for Complex Times

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The Arbinger Institute

Getting Out of the Box

This phenomenal bestseller -- over 700,000 copies sold -- changes readers' lives and helps them transform their organizations. In this new edition, the text has been updated and revised throughout to make it even more readable and powerful, and a new section has been added that details the many different ways that people are using this book.

Leadership and Self-Deception

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David Zweig

Scuffing on dust jacket, book in perfect condition



Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

The Power of Unseen Experts at Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion

What do fact-checkers, anesthesiologists, U.N. interpreters, and structural engineers have in common? When they do their jobs poorly, the consequences can be catastrophic for their organizations. But when they do their jobs perfectly . . . they're invisible. For most of us, the better we perform the more attention we receive. Yet for many 'Invisibles' - skilled professionals whose role is critical to whatever enterprise they're a part of - it's the opposite- the better they do their jobs the more they disappear. In fact, often it's only when something goes wrong that they are noticed at all. Millions of these Invisibles are hidden in every industry. You may be one yourself. And despite our culture's increasing celebration of fame in our era of superstar CEOs and assorted varieties of 'genius' - they're fine with remaining anonymous. David Zweig takes us into the behind-the-scenes worlds that Invisibles inhabit. He interviews top experts in unusual fields to reveal the quiet workers behind public successes. Combining in-depth profiles with insights from psychology, sociology, and business, Zweig uncovers how these hidden professionals reap deep fulfilment by relishing the challenges their work presents. Zweig bypasses diplomats and joins and elite interpreter in a closed-door meeting at the U.N., where the media and public are never allowed. He ascends China's tallest skyscraper while it's still under construction, without the architect, guided instead by the project's lead structural engineer. He even brings us on stage during a Radiohead concert, escorted not by a member of the band, but by their chief guitar technician. Along the way, Zweig reveals that Invisibles have a lot to teach the rest of society about satisfaction and achievement. What has been lost amid the noise of self-promotion today is that not everyone can, or should, or even wants to be in the spotlight. This inspiring and illuminating book shows that recognition isn't all it's cracked up to be, and invisibility can be viewed as a mark of honor and a source of a truly rich life. 'A fascinating tour of the hidden landscapes on which human society actually operates. This will change the way you see the world and, hopefully, your place within it.' Douglas Rushkoff bestselling author of Present Shock 'Invisiblesis a one-book cultural revolution, fighting the current cultural tide toward narcissistic self-promotion with the truth that real satisfaction is often silent.' Jean Twenge bestselling co-author of The Narcissism Epidemic 'Invisibles explains why some of the world's most talented, accomplished people choose to fly under the radar . . . It's a clarion call for work as a craft- for generously sharing knowledge without hogging credit and prizing meaningful work above public recognition. An excellent book.' Adam Grant Wharton professor and bestselling author of Give and Take 'The genius at the top doesn't make their team look good. It's a great team that makes the guy at the top look like a genius . . . and Invisiblesproves it.' Simon Sinek optimist and bestselling author of Start with Whyand Leaders Eat Last

Invisibles

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Business and Leadership

William Pene du Bois

Professor William Waterman Sherman intends to fly across the Pacific Ocean. But through a twist of fate, he lands on Krakatoa, and discovers a world of unimaginable wealth, eccentric inhabitants, and incredible balloon inventions.Winner of the 1948 Newbery Medal, this classic fantasy-adventure is now available in a handsome new edition.

Relates the incredible adventures of Professor William Waterman Sherman who in 1883 sets off in a balloon across the Pacific, survives the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa, and is eventually picked up in the Atlantic. Reissue.

The Twenty-One Balloons (Puffin Modern Classics)

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Madeleine L'Engle

A quiet visit with her grandparents turns into a lesson in the fluidity of time for Polly O'Keefe when she meets several strangers from overlapping temporal planes and, with them, plays a key role in a prehistoric confrontation. Simultaneous.

An Acceptable Time

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Ellen Raskin

A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W Westing’s will. He won’t be stopped from playing one last game!

The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance.

The Westing Game (Puffin Modern Classics)

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Children’s favorites

Roger Horowitz

A little crinkle at the bottom corner. 

Engagingly written and richly illustrated, Putting Meat on the American Table explains how America became a meat-eating nation―from the colonial period to the present. It examines the relationships between consumer preference and meat processing―looking closely at the production of beef, pork, chicken, and hot dogs.

Roger Horowitz argues that a series of new technologies have transformed American meat. He draws on detailed consumption surveys that shed new light on America's eating preferences―especially differences associated with income, rural versus urban areas, and race and ethnicity.


Taste, Technology, Transformation

This book explains how America became a meat-eating nation - from the colonial period to the present. It examines the relationships between consumer preference and meat processing - looking closely at the production of beef, pork, chicken, and hot dogs. The author argues that a series of new technologies have transformed American meat. He draws on detailed consumption surveys that shed new light on America's eating preferences - especially differences associated with income, rural versus urban areas, and race and ethnicity.

Putting Meat on the American Table

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Susan Schrepfer

cientists have developed a featherless chicken designed to make industrial chicken production more efficient, while specially trained Pacific bottlenose dolphins are being deployed in the Persian Gulf to disarm mines and protect our Navy. Everyone knows Darwin's theory of natural selection, but what about his idea of artificial selection--how humans, not nature, rework natural organisms to meet our needs? Industrializing Organisms brings us to the threshold of the new field of evolutionary history--from the mobilization of war horses in the 19th century to today's engineered plants and manipulated animals.

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)

Introducing Evolutionary History

Maurice Ravel: A Research and Information Guide is an annotated bibliography concerning both the nature of primary sources related to the composer and the scope and significance of the secondary sources which deal with him, his compositions, and his influence as a composer and theorist.

Industrializing Organisms

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Robert A. Wood

Joe Kraynak

Reference book for food allergies. A must read for parents with children with food allergies or for adults with new found allergies. Robert Wood is the pre-eminent voice on pediatric food allergies. 

Are you constantly worrying about what you or your loved ones eat? Is every dining experience an episode of anxiety for you? Being allergic to different types of food not only ruins the experience of eating, it can lead to dangerous, sometimes lethal, consequences. With Food Allergies for Dummies, you can feel safer about what you eat. This concise guide shows you how to identify and avoid food that triggers reactions. This guide covers how to care for a child with food allergies, such as getting involved with his/her school’s allergy policies, packing safe lunches, and empowering him/her to take responsibility for his allergy. You will also discover: The signs and symptoms of food allergies How to determine the severity of your allergy Ways to eat out and travel with allergies How to create your own avoidance diet Ways to enjoy your meal without allergic symptoms How to prevent food allergies from affecting your child The latest research being done to treat food allergies Food Allergies for Dummies also provides an in-depth chapter on peanut allergy and how to spot traces of peanut in your food. With this book, you will feel safer and more comfortable while you eat. And, with plenty of helpful resources such as Web sites and allergy-friendly recipes, you’ll hardly have to worry about your diet!

Food Allergies for Dummies

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Nutrition studies

Matthew Quick

Texas

From Matthew Quick, the New York Times bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook--made into the Academy Award-winning movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper--comes a poignant and hopeful novel about a widower who takes in a grieving teenager and inspires a magical revival in their small town.

Lucas Goodgame lives in Majestic, Pennsylvania, a quaint suburb that has been torn apart by a recent tragedy. Everyone in Majestic sees Lucas as a hero--everyone, that is, except Lucas himself. Insisting that his deceased wife, Darcy, visits him every night in the form of an angel, Lucas spends his time writing letters to his former Jungian analyst, Karl. It is only when Eli, an eighteen-year-old young man whom the community has ostracized, begins camping out in Lucas's backyard that an unlikely alliance takes shape and the two embark on a journey to heal their neighbors and, most importantly, themselves.

From Matthew Quick, whose work has been described by the Boston Herald as "like going to your favorite restaurant. You just know it is going to be good," We Are the Light is an unforgettable novel about the quicksand of grief and the daily miracle of love. The humorous, soul-baring story of Lucas Goodgame offers an antidote to toxic masculinity and celebrates the healing power of art. In this tale that will stay with you long after the final page is turned, Quick reminds us that life is full of guardian angels.

We Are the Light

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Fredrik Backman

New Jersey

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY: LibraryReads • BookBrowse • Goodreads “You’ll love this engrossing novel.” —People The bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with a dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream—and the price required to make it come true. People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever-encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys. Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected. Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.

Beartown

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Emma Straub

Florida

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER

"The pages brim with tenderness and an appreciation for what we had and who we were. I could not have loved it more."--Ann Patchett

"One of the most moving and intelligent time travel novels I have ever read. Nostalgic, wise, funny, and filled with love."--Gabrielle Zevin

"The kind of book that will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you call the people you love. Exceptional."--Emily Henry

What if you could take a vacation to your past?

        With her celebrated humor, insight, and heart, beloved New York Times bestseller Emma Straub offers her own twist on traditional time travel tropes and a different kind of love story.

On the eve of her fortieth birthday, Alice's life isn't terrible. She likes her job, even if it isn't exactly the one she expected. She's happy with her apartment, her romantic status, and her independence, and she adores her lifelong best friend. But her father is ailing, and it feels to her as if something is missing. When she wakes up the next morning, she finds herself back in 1996, reliving her sixteenth birthday. But it isn't just her adolescent body that shocks her, or seeing her high school crush--it's her dad, the vital, charming, forty-something version of her father with whom she is reunited. Now armed with a new perspective on her own life and his, some past events take on new meaning. Is there anything that she would change if she could?

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Shelves by 5 Star Reads

5 Star Reads

African history

Black History

Business and Leadership

Children’s favorites

Nutrition studies

Unique Favorites