Pop culture phenomena from the '80s and '90s, homages to Alberto Vargas and other classic pinup illustrations, and contemporary fashions and fetishes combine to form an exciting collection of modern pinups. Tributes to Baywatch, Rambo, Star Wars, Jessica Rabbit, and more late-20th century cultural references are included. This collection of over-the-top Americana also features standouts from Alvarado's Redneck Pinup series; provocatively posed pirates; beautiful calaveras makeup; leather jacket-wearing blondes; classy big-haired chicks with antique cars; a dynamite-wielding cowgirl; polo-playing preppies; sword-swallowing freaks; laser- and gun-toting steampunks; sultry nurses; elegant ballroom dancers; and more. Alvarado's belief is that it's all about the model; her image and pose are the most important elements in a composition, and he draws the viewer's attention to the models by employing a plain white background in many images.

Three Latina friends--Taina, dreading her quinceañera while hiding her secret Jamaican artist boyfriend from her family; Grachi, torn between duty and her dreams; and Leni, a rebel struggling to make sense of her roots and her growing feelings for a childhood friend--find their friendship with one another sustaining them as they search for their place in life. Original. 50,000 first printing.

The essential collection of pin-ups from photographer Robert Alvarado. He subtly combines color, form, and style to create an allure that captivates onlookers and confounds fellow photographers. The influence of pin-up photography pioneers like Alberto Vargas and Gil Elvgren is clear, but throughout the 145 alluring examples of Alvarado's work, his signature approach to this classic form will impress you in a way that only modern photography can. A year of trial and error went into achieving the look presented here: luscious images with flat color and a shine that accentuates the models' key features. Through Alvarado's modern innovations, which are debated on photography blogs, he composes pin-ups with models in traditional poses, in clothes, lingerie, or tastefully nude, looking directly at the camera.

We all want to see Snow White with tattoos, right? Well, at least photographer Robert Alvarado does. In his newest collection of high-octane, pin-up images, Alvarado shows how his own style of shooting and editing, which has been called cartoonish, illustrated, and painted marries perfectly with cosplay. In more than 150 vibrant, color images, see Alvarado's take on this pop culture phenomenon as he captures models "cosing" as characters from Buck Rogers, Deadpool, Star Wars, your favorite D.C. and Marvel franchises, and much more. From fantasy to sci-fi and Disney to video games, the models embody and costume many beloved characters while striking traditional and contemporary pin-up poses. Complete with some behind-the-scenes shots and details on Alvarado's approach to working with the models, this is the perfect collection of images for fans and students of pop culture and pin-up photography.

"Elvia Alvarado tells the story of her life and the life of the people of Honduras. Read it and understand the struggle against tyranny of the poor. Read it and act."--Alice Walker

A magical mystery tour of the extraordinary historical characters that have defined the unique spiritual landscape of New Orleans. New Orleans has long been America’s most magical city, inhabited by a fascinating visible and invisible world, full of mysteries, known for its decadence and haunted by its spirits. If Salem, Massachusetts, is famous for its persecution of witches, New Orleans is celebrated for its embrace of the magical, mystical, and paranormal. New Orleans is acclaimed for its witches, ghosts, and vampires. Because of its unique history, New Orleans is the historical stronghold of traditional African religions and spirituality in the US. No other city worldwide is as associated with Vodou as New Orleans. In her new book, author and scholar Denise Alvarado takes us on a magical tour of New Orleans. There is a mysterious spiritual underbelly hiding in plain sight in New Orleans, and in this book Alvarado shows us where it is and who the characters are. She tells where they come from and how they persist and manifest today. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints shines a light on notable spirits and folk saints such as Papa Legba, Annie Christmas, Black Hawk, African-American culture hero Jean St. Malo, St. Expedite, plague saint Roch, and, of course, the mother and father of New Orleans Voudou, Marie Laveau and Doctor John Montenée. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints serves as a secret history of New Orleans, revealing details even locals may not know.

The heartbreaking story of college athlete Madison Holleran, whose life and death by suicide reveal the struggle of young people suffering from mental illness today in this #1 New York Times Sports and Fitness bestseller. If you scrolled through the Instagram feed of 19-year-old Maddy Holleran, you would see a perfect life: a freshman at an Ivy League school, recruited for the track team, who was also beautiful, popular, and fiercely intelligent. This was a girl who succeeded at everything she tried, and who was only getting started. But when Maddy began her long-awaited college career, her parents noticed something changed. Previously indefatigable Maddy became withdrawn, and her thoughts centered on how she could change her life. In spite of thousands of hours of practice and study, she contemplated transferring from the school that had once been her dream. When Maddy's dad, Jim, dropped her off for the first day of spring semester, she held him a second longer than usual. That would be the last time Jim would see his daughter. What Made Maddy Run began as a piece that Kate Fagan, a columnist for espnW, wrote about Maddy's life. What started as a profile of a successful young athlete whose life ended in suicide became so much larger when Fagan started to hear from other college athletes also struggling with mental illness. This is the story of Maddy Holleran's life, and her struggle with depression, which also reveals the mounting pressures young people -- and college athletes in particular -- face to be perfect, especially in an age of relentless connectivity and social media saturation.