When what you want the most could mean the death of you... Gabriel Loveman is a born genius who must choose between the opportunity of a lifetime, his responsibility to his family and his devotion to the woman he loves. One path will lead to a bright future and a broken heart. The other path will lead to love and a broken spirit. As he struggles over the tortuous decision, Gabriel finds himself in the throes of a threat against his life. In a world where being black can be a death sentence, finding a way to stay alive as he determines his fate will take much more than courage and determination. Gabriel will need a miracle. Taking place in an era when the remnants of slavery rule the day, Gabriel's Balloon reveals the depth of the agonizing dilemma of a boy wonder entering into manhood and yearning for a future beyond the drudgery of the Deep South. A coming of age that unfolds on a plantation plagued with the horrors of racism and family secrets that, if ever revealed, may make the difference between life and death, this novel is a reminder of the timeliness of love and hate. Gabriel's plight will break open the hearts of readers who will find themselves hoping that he decides to chase after his dreams, as page by page, they come to understand why he has the very best of reasons to let them go. Indeed, inside Gabriel's Balloon, hope floats but only when there is enough air. Hope Michelle Ayers currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia and Washington, D.C., where she works as an attorney and advisor for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA. In addition to her first novel, Gabriel's Balloon, she has authored two collections of poetry, Love Defined and Acquaintances, along with a series of children's books entitled The Chelsea Tales. A graduate of Alabama State University (Bachelor of Arts) and the University of Alabama (Juris Doctorate), she is the CEO of Hope & Air, Inc., a lifelong supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., ASU National Alumni Association and the Alabama State Bar Association.

Longlisted for the Booker Prize Named a Most Anticipated Book of Summer 2021 by Entertainment Weekly, Time, and CrimeReads Named a Best Book of 2021 by Time An astonishing, visceral autobiographical novel about a young man straddling two cultures: the university where he is studying English Literature and the disregarded world of London gang warfare. The unforgettable narrator of this compelling, thought-provoking debut goes by two names in his two worlds. At the university he attends, he's Gabriel, a seemingly ordinary, partying student learning about morality at a distance. But in his life outside the classroom, he's Snoopz, a hard living member of London's gangs, well-acquainted with drugs, guns, stabbings, and robbery. Navigating these sides of himself, dealing with loving parents at the same time as treacherous, endangering friends and the looming threat of prison, he is forced to come to terms with who he really is and the life he's chosen for himself. In a distinct, lyrical urban slang all his own, author Gabriel Krauze brings to vivid life the underworld of his city and the destructive impact of toxic masculinity. Who They Was is a disturbing yet tender and perspective-altering account of the thrill of violence and the trauma it leaves behind. It is the story of inner cities everywhere, and of the lost boys who must find themselves in their tower blocks.

The Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author tells the moving story of the friendship between a young white boy and a Black WWII veteran who has recently returned to the unwelcoming Jim Crow South. For Gabriel Haberlin, life seems pretty close to perfect in the small southern town of Birdsong, USA. But on his twelfth birthday, his point of view begins to change. It all starts when he comes face-to-face with one of the worst drivers in town while riding his new bicycle--an accident that would have been tragic if Mr. Meriwether Hunter hadn't been around to push him out of harm's way. After the accident, Gabriel and Meriwether become friends when they both start working at Gabriel's dad's auto shop, and Meriwether lets a secret slip: He served in the army's all-black 761st Tank Battalion in World War II. Soon Gabriel learns why it's so dangerous for Meriwether to talk about his heroism in front of white people, and Gabriel's eyes are finally opened to the hard truth about Birdsong--and his understanding of what it means to be a hero will never be the same.

Introduction : angelic greetings or Shalom Aleichem -- At home with the angels : Babylonian ritual sources -- Out and about with the angels : Palestinian ritual sources -- No angels? early rabbinic sources -- In the image of God, not angels : rabbinic sources -- In the image of the angels : liturgical sources -- Israel among the angels : Late rabbinic sources -- Jewish mystics and the angelic realms : early mystical sources -- Conclusion : angels in Judaism and the religions of late antiquity -- Appendix A : table -- Appendix B : description of table.

From everyday moments to historic events, Seattle Times artist Gabriel Campanario captures life in the Northwest in his popular weekly column and blog, "The Seattle Sketcher." This heirloom-quality book features some of Campanario's best: the people, places and slices of life that characterize our unique and ever-changing city. This hardcover, fine-art, limited edition book features over 100 of Gabi Campanario's sketches and columns in full color, making it a true collector's item.

From the author of The Sound of Things Falling, a powerful novel about a legendary political cartoonist. Javier Mallarino is a living legend. He is his country’s most influential political cartoonist, the conscience of a nation. A man capable of repealing laws, overturning judges’ decisions, and destroying politicians’ careers with his art. His weapons are pen and ink. Those in power fear him and pay him homage. After four decades of a brilliant career, he’s at the height of his powers. But this all changes when he’s paid an unexpected visit by a young woman who upends his personal history and forces him to reconsider his life and work, questioning his position in the world. In Reputations, Juan Gabriel Vásquez examines the weight of the past, how a public persona intersects with private histories, the burdens and surprises of memory. In this intimate novel, Vásquez once again brilliantly plumbs universal experiences to create a masterly story, one that reverberates long after you turn the final page.

"From front offices to college campuses, Jake Fischer takes you on an engrossing tour of the NBA in its latest golden age, when some of the most captivating teams won by losing." —Lee Jenkins, former Sports Illustrated NBA writer An insider account of modern NBA team-building, based on hundreds of exclusive interviews A single transcendent talent?can change the fortunes of an NBA franchise. One only has to recall the frenzy surrounding recent top pick Zion Williamson to recognize teams' willingness to lose games now for the sake of winning championships later. It's a story that weaves its way behind closed doors to reveal intricate machinations normally hidden from public view. Backed by extensive reporting and hundreds of interviews with top players, coaches, and executives, Jake Fischer chronicles secret pre-draft workouts, feuding between player agents and executives, surprising trade negotiations, interpersonal conflicts, organizational power struggles, and infamous public relations fiascos, making for a fascinating look at the NBA. The definitive account of the NBA's tanking era, when teams raced to the bottom in the hope of eventually winning a championship.