“Nassar brings to life the artistic prowess, rallying cries, and dashed dreams of the leading Palestinian litterateurs in Israel.” —Shira Robinson, author of Citizen Strangers When the state of Israel was established in 1948, not all Palestinians became refugees: some stayed behind and were soon granted citizenship. Those who remained, however, were relegated to second-class status in this new country, controlled by a military regime that restricted their movement and political expression. For two decades, Palestinian citizens of Israel were cut off from friends and relatives on the other side of the Green Line, as well as from the broader Arab world. Yet they were not passive in the face of this profound isolation. Palestinian intellectuals, party organizers, and cultural producers in Israel turned to the written word. Through writers like Mahmoud Darwish and Samih al-Qasim, poetry, journalism, fiction, and nonfiction became sites of resistance and connection alike. With this book, Maha Nassar examines their well-known poetry and uncovers prose works that have, until now, been largely overlooked. The writings of Palestinians in Israel played a key role in fostering a shared national consciousness and would become a central means of alerting Arabs in the region to the conditions—and to the defiance—of these isolated Palestinians. Brothers Apart is the first book to reveal how Palestinian intellectuals forged transnational connections through written texts and engaged with contemporaneous decolonization movements throughout the Arab world, challenging both Israeli policies and their own cultural isolation. Maha Nassar’s readings not only deprovincialize the Palestinians of Israel, but write them back into Palestinian, Arab, and global history.

A comprehensive investigation of the Qur'an, Bible, Islam and Christianity, revealing harmony between the principal teachings of the Books, but disharmony between the religious traditions. Suppose the Qur'an taught that: Jesus is the Messiah who was born of the virgin Mary, taught the Gospel, healed the sick, raised the dead, was crucified, died, and was resurrected; Salvation is a gift from God to all who believe, repent and ask God's forgiveness; Muslims are to believe the Gospel and other revelation contained in the Bible, believe that Jesus is the Messiah, receive guidance from the Holy Spirit, resist the temptations from Satan, avoid the condemnation of hell, and cultivate a personal relationship with the God of Abraham. If you do not believe this, then you are welcome to join me on this investigative journey where we can examine the evidence honestly. This means that: Interpretations must be supported by the evidence; Interpretations must not damage the integrity of the evidence; Assumptions used in interpreting the evidence must be verified. In my opinion, the most important lesson from studying history is: never be afraid to re-examine the evidence in order to learn or verify the truth. We should never be afraid to critically examine claims of truth, for truth should be able to withstand rigorous scrutiny. Walter Phillips BSc, BEng, MASc, MURP, CEng, MIStructE, MIHT, MAPM, MCSCE, MBAPE

“You don’t look like brothers . . .” Peace activist and cofounder of the Enough Project, John Prendergast is known as a champion of human rights in Africa. But the not-so-public face of J.P. is the life he’s led as a Big Brother to Michael Mattocks. As a curious, driven, and emotionally wounded twenty-year-old, J.P. made the life-changing decision to form a “Big Brother/Little Brother” relationship with then seven-year-old Michael, who was living out of plastic bags and drifting from one homeless shelter to the next with his mother and siblings. Lacking a connection with his own brother and distancing himself from a disastrous relationship with his father, J.P. formed a unique bond with Michael the moment they met. Michael and J.P. became like family, with Michael and some of his siblings even living with J.P. one summer. In the years that followed, J.P. took Michael and his brothers on outings, whether it was fishing, playing basketball, patronizing cheap restaurants, or going on road trips. This friendship would continue for over twenty-five years as the two coped with varying degrees of violence, instability, and trauma in their own lives. Told in duet, Unlikely Brothers follows Michael as he grows up on the tough streets of Washington, D.C., where as a young teenager he watched his best friend get shot, dropped out of school, and started dealing crack cocaine shortly thereafter. By sixteen, Michael had become the kingpin of his neighborhood, guns and drugs always close at hand. Meanwhile, J.P. was traveling to and from African war zones. J.P. offered Michael a refuge from the streets, never really confronting the gravity of what Michael was going through in his adolescence. In turn, Michael afforded J.P. an escape from his own turbulent personal and professional life. As the years go by, the two swoop in and out of each other’s lives, slowly disconnecting as they disappear into their respective worlds, but making their way back to each other at a critical moment for both of them. The effect the two have on each other is extremely significant to both of their paths to redemption. Inspirational and deeply moving, Unlikely Brothers beautifully showcases how life’s most random moments can often be the most profound.

A comprehensive investigation of the Qur'an, Bible, Islam and Christianity, revealing harmony between the principal teachings of the Books, but disharmony between the religious traditions. Suppose the Qur'an taught that: Jesus is the Messiah who was born of the virgin Mary, taught the Gospel, healed the sick, raised the dead, was crucified, died, and was resurrected; Salvation is a gift from God to all who believe, repent and ask God's forgiveness; Muslims are to believe the Gospel and other revelation contained in the Bible, believe that Jesus is the Messiah, receive guidance from the Holy Spirit, resist the temptations from Satan, avoid the condemnation of hell, and cultivate a personal relationship with the God of Abraham. If you do not believe this, then you are welcome to join me on this investigative journey where we can examine the evidence honestly. This means that: Interpretations must be supported by the evidence; Interpretations must not damage the integrity of the evidence; Assumptions used in interpreting the evidence must be verified. In my opinion, the most important lesson from studying history is: never be afraid to re-examine the evidence in order to learn or verify the truth. We should never be afraid to critically examine claims of truth, for truth should be able to withstand rigorous scrutiny. Walter Phillips BSc, BEng, MASc, MURP, CEng, MIStructE, MIHT, MAPM, MCSCE, MBAPE

Twin brothers Omar and Yaqub may share the same features, but they could not be more different from one another. And the possessive love of their mother, Zana, stirs the troubled waters between them even more. After a brutally violent exchange between the young boys, Yaqub, “the good son,” is sent from his home in Brazil to live with relatives in Lebanon, only to return five years later as a virtual stranger to the parents who bore him, his tensions with Omar unchanged. Family secrets engage the reader in this profoundly resonant story about identity, love, loss, deception, and the dissolution of blood ties. Set in the port city of Manaus on the riverbanks of the Amazon, Two Brothers celebrates the vibrant life and diversity of Brazil. Based on a work by acclaimed novelist Milton Hatoum, Two Brothers is stunningly reimagined by the award-winning graphic novelists Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá. "This work goes far beyond its publicity hook, which is that Eisner award–winning Brazilian twin brothers (Casanova, Daytripper) have adapted Milton Hatoum’s classic novel about twin brothers to the graphic novel form. Narrated mostly by Nael, the illegitimate son of one of the brothers, the tale is presented in a nonlinear narrative with multiple flashbacks, as stories within stories begin to fill in the greater family chronicle spiraling around the twins and their simmering rivalry and hatred. The intricate secrets and lies at the heart of families are set against a backdrop of almost cinematic cityscapes and vistas. Bá and Moon present the naturalistic dynamism of Brazil in their art: sweeping, dramatic organic shapes against the sharp angularity of the people. The stark b&w art crackles to express the subtleties of palpable, barely contained tension between kin, a brutal police beating, and the erotic electricity of an exotic dance. Bá and Moon bring a cool, confident sharpness to their narrative to reflect the shades of gray in this powerful family saga." —Publishers Weekly (Starred review) “TWO BROTHERS is a feat of bravura visual storytelling, a revealing and nuanced work of family portraiture, and a thrilling act of historical re-imagination. It is clearly the work of two major artists, two master collaborators, operating at the peak of their powers.” —Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay “I cannot think of a single gift more pure than the gift the twins possess. Gabriel and Fabio give the world something unique, and precious. It is most amazing to be alive in a time where two creators such as these exist - they give us another reason to wake up and another way to see the world. Two Brothers, like their other work, is another masterpiece, but so different in it’s pacing and tone than anything they have done before. I am lucky to share the same planet with them, because they are kind enough to share their stories with me, and the world.“ —Gerard Way, The Umbrella Academy “This book immediately jumps onto the list of the most essential graphic novels you will read in your lifetime. Two amazing creators at the top of their game, telling a story in a way only they can tell it. What a gift. What a treat.” —Brian Michael Bendis. Powers “Moon and Bá have long been cartoonists of extraordinary skill, and with Two Brothers they have created their masterwork. Their passion for the comics medium bleeds through in every brushstroke and pen line. This is a stunning book that will touch your heart and leave you breathless.” —Jeff Lemire, Descender “TWO BROTHERS is a haunting tribute to sibling love, brotherly hatred, and the kinetic energy when those two forces fuel a family. The deep sense of place, the palpable sorrow of nostalgia, the aura of truth: once again Ba and Moon bring it like no one else in graphic storytelling. —Mat Johnson, Loving Day “This is an extraordinary work. Moon and Bá, two men already on top of their game, have rewritten what we thought the game was. The comic book was created as entertainment. Two Brothers is proof comics can be Art. The wider your eyes get, the more it touches your heart.” —Brian Azzarello, 100 Bullets "Speaking of brothers that both work in comics: TWO BROTHERS is a visually stunning work that makes me dizzy with admiration. Attention to detail, the concern with communicating with the reader on emotional terms as well as intellectual, it is a classic example that artistic chops still matter in the modern comics world. In fact it matters more than ever now. —Gilbert Hernandez, LOVE & ROCKETS “Moon and Bá have both shot for the stars here... TWO BROTHERS is a striking graphic novel that allows fans to see a different aspect of two of the very best creators in comics– come and see what flavor of genius the Brazilian-based brothers have crafted from the work of Milton Hatoum.” —COMICS BEAT “As anyone who’s read The Umbrella Academy, Casanova, or Daytripper knows, Moon and Bá are two of the most gifted artists in the comics world. Their new graphic novel, based on the Brazilian novel Dois Irmãos, may be their most ambitious work yet, and the preview art glows. Moon and Bá are themselves Brazilian twins, so it’s easy to see how they were attracted to the story.” —io9 “Riveting…. Two Brothers is an earthquake both visually and narratively.... Moon and Bá are in clear control of every element of Two Brothers, bringing to life a city, history, and compelling story of a family locked in obsession.” —FANBOY COMICS

The multitalented writers, directors, producers, and actors (as seen on The League, Transparent, and The Mindy Project) share the secrets of their lifelong partnership in this unique memoir. “A book that anyone will love . . . You can enjoy it even if you have no idea who the Duplass brothers are.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times Whether producing, writing, directing, or acting, the Duplass Brothers have made their mark in the world of independent film and television on the strength of their quirky and empathetic approach to storytelling. Now, for the first time, Mark and Jay take readers on a tour of their lifelong partnership in this unique memoir told in essays that share the secrets of their success, the joys and frustrations of intimate collaboration, and the lessons they’ve learned the hard way. From a childhood spent wielding an oversized home video camera in the suburbs of New Orleans to their shared years at the University of Texas in early-nineties Austin, and from the breakthrough short they made on a three-dollar budget to the night their feature film Baghead became the center of a Sundance bidding war, Mark and Jay tell the story of a bond that’s resilient, affectionate, mutually empowering, and only mildly dysfunctional. They are brutally honest about how their closeness sabotaged their youthful romantic relationships, about the jealousy each felt when the other stole the spotlight as an actor (Mark in The League, Jay in Transparent), and about the challenges they faced on the set of their HBO series Togetherness—namely, too much togetherness. But Like Brothers is also a surprisingly practical road map to a rewarding creative partnership. Rather than split all their responsibilities fifty-fifty, the brothers learned to capitalize on each other’s strengths. They’re not afraid to call each other out, because they’re also not afraid to compromise. Most relationships aren’t—and frankly shouldn’t be—as intense as Mark and Jay’s, but their brand of trust, validation, and healthy disagreement has taken them far. Part coming-of-age memoir, part underdog story, and part insider account of succeeding in Hollywood on their own terms, Like Brothers is as openhearted and lovably offbeat as Mark and Jay themselves. “Wright. Ringling. Jonas. I’m sure you could name a bunch of famous brother teams. They’re all garbage compared to Mark and Jay. I can’t wait for you to read this book.”—from the foreword by Mindy Kaling

Recounts the personal story of how two Naval academy roommates--US Marine Travis Manion and US Navy SEAL Brendan Looney--defined a generation's sacrifice after 9/11, and how their loved ones carry on in their memory Four weeks after Navy SEALs had killed Osama bin Laden, the President of the United States stood in Arlington National Cemetery. In his Memorial Day address, he extolled the courage and sacrifice of the two young men buried side by side in the graves before him: Travis Manion, a fallen US Marine, and Brendan Looney, a fallen US Navy SEAL. Although they were killed three years apart, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, these two best friends and former roommates were now buried together--"brothers forever." Award-winning journalist Tom Sileo and Travis's father, former Marine colonel Tom Manion, come together to tell thisd intimate story, from Travis's incredible heroism on the streets of Fallujah to Brendan's anguished Navy SEAL training in the wake of his friend's death and his own heroism in the mountains of Afghanistan. Brothers Forever is a remarkable story of friendship, family, and war.