"An eloquent and essential correction to contemporary discussions of the American working class."—The Nation From the ongoing issues of poverty, health, housing, and employment to the recent upsurge of lethal police-community relations, the black working class stands at the center of perceptions of social and racial conflict today. Journalists and public policy analysts often discuss the black poor as “consumers” rather than “producers,” as “takers” rather than “givers,” and as “liabilities” instead of “assets.” In his engrossing history, Workers on Arrival, Joe William Trotter, Jr., refutes these perceptions by charting the black working class’s vast contributions to the making of America. Covering the last four hundred years since Africans were first brought to Virginia in 1619, Trotter traces the complicated journey of black workers from the transatlantic slave trade to the demise of the industrial order in the twenty-first century. At the center of this compelling, fast-paced narrative are the actual experiences of these African American men and women. A dynamic and vital history of remarkable contributions despite repeated setbacks, Workers on Arrival expands our understanding of America’s economic and industrial growth, its cities, ideas, and institutions, and the real challenges confronting black urban communities today.

Now in trade paperback: “The definitive guide to musical enjoyment” (Forum). In this fascinating analysis of how to listen to both contemporary and classical music analytically, eminent American composer Aaron Copland offers provocative suggestions that will bring readers a deeper appreciation of the most viscerally rewarding of all art forms.

Print+CourseSmart

For many people the ocean is a source of relaxation and comfort, and this new self-discovery book takes that relaxation to the next level. The healing power of reiki energy combines with the magnificent forces of the ocean to encourage healing, clarity, and clearing available to everyone. Chapters address how to negotiate different aspects of daily life – compassion, fear, forgiveness, grief, faith, hope, and surrender – with deep breathing, journaling, and visualization exercises. This meditation will help you to embrace the ocean's limitless energies as you unlock the healing power that lies within you and each of us. Staring off into the ocean will take on a whole new meaning.

A personal memoir of the bestselling, legendary singer and guitarist Jim Croce, told by those who knew him best.