Sacred Eroticism: Georges Bataille and Pierre Klossowski in the Latin American Erotic Novel addresses a neglected chapter in the field of Latin American literature: the influence of Georges Bataille and Pierre Klossowski's atheist mysticism in the Latin American erotic novel of the twentieth century. Combining a Lacanian analytical framework with an (inter)textual approach, Juan Carlos Ubilluz reveals how Julio Cort&3225;zar, Salvador Elizondo, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Juan García Ponce adopted Bataille and Klossowski's aesthetic and philosophical models as a point of departure to rearticulate the modern subject's buried dimension of the sacred through various innovations on the erotic novel's form. Ubilluz also examines the dialectical irruption of these literary experiments into their particular aesthetic, theoretical, and political contexts; showing, for instance, that Cortázar's Rayuela and Elizondo's Farabeuf reintroduce a Bataillean sense of tragedy into the secularist nouveau roman, that Garía Ponce exemplifies the Barthian death of the Author by 'copying' with originality the form and content of Klossowski's novels, and that Vargas Llosa's Los cuadernos de don Rigoberto gives an unbecoming neo-liberal spin to Bataille and Klossowski's anti-capitalist theorization of the sacred.

An exhilarating travelogue for a new generation about a journey along Colombia’s Magdalena River, exploring life by the banks of a majestic river now at risk, and how a country recovers from conflict. "Richly observed." —Liesl Schillinger, The New York Times Book Review An American writer of Argentine, Syrian, and Iraqi Jewish descent, Jordan Salama tells the story of the Río Magdalena, nearly one thousand miles long, the heart of Colombia. This is Gabriel García Márquez’s territory—rumor has it Macondo was partly inspired by the port town of Mompox—as much as that of the Middle Eastern immigrants who run fabric stores by its banks. Following the river from its source high in the Andes to its mouth on the Caribbean coast, journeying by boat, bus, and improvised motobalinera, Salama writes against stereotype and toward the rich lives of those he meets. Among them are a canoe builder, biologists who study invasive hippopotamuses, a Queens transplant managing a failing hotel, a jeweler practicing the art of silver filigree, and a traveling librarian whose donkeys, Alfa and Beto, haul books to rural children. Joy, mourning, and humor come together in this astonishing debut, about a country too often seen as only a site of war, and a tale of lively adventure following a legendary river.

On the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Pittsburgh native and graduate student Ben Orbach traveled to the Middle East to experience the region first-hand. Despite having a degree in Middle Eastern studies, he was completely unprepared for what he discovered. Beyond the anti-American sentiment he expected, he found a complex, curious people whose lives were made even more difficult by an overwhelming feeling of powerlessness. Live from Jordan is the story, told via his letters home, of Orbach's one year trip through Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Turkey. As he begins his unforgettable journey which takes him from bustling bazaars to underground brothels, he meets all kinds of characters: a falafel cook who hates Americans because they "have no mercy," a kindly baker who wishes him "peace and blessings" every time he buys pita bread, and the curious, impassioned 21-year-old medical student with a penchant for debating U.S. foreign policy. From the angry streets of Cairo to the living rooms of ordinary people in Jordan and Palestine, Orbach offers an honest, balanced portrait of a region in turmoil and the vivid, misunderstood, and often welcoming people who inhabit it. With humor and wit, he sheds new light on a culture that few Americans understand. Engaging and evocative, Live from Jordan is a myth-breaking book that combines the lyricism of a travelogue with the insight of reportage.

Alina Chau's Marshmallow & Jordan is a middle-grade graphic novel about a disabled, sports-loving Jordan, and the magical elephant named Marshmallow who she befriends. Jordan's days as star player for her school's basketball team ended when an accident left her paralyzed from the waist down. Now, she's still the team captain, but her competition days seem to be behind her...until an encounter with a mysterious elephant, who she names Marshmallow, helps Jordan discover a brand new sport. Will water polo be the way for Jordan to continue her athletic dreams--or will it just come between Jordan and her best friends on the basketball team? And with the big tournament right around the corner, what secret is Marshmallow hiding?

'A part of all those people who helped me along the way can be found in everything I have done and continue to do. I had some great teachers - and I listened to what they had to say.' - Michael Jordan A global icon in sports, style and business, Michael Jordan is famous for his unrivalled athletic ability, his fierce determination, and his grace under pressure. In DRIVEN FROM WITHIN, he makes it clear that his phenomenal success is thanks in large part to the teachers, mentors and friends who have guided him throughout his life. Here is a book about the power of collaboration and teamwork, the energy that is released when people share their gifts and hard-won knowledge. With almost two million copies of his three previous books in print, Michael Jordan has proven himself to be as strong a performer in bookstores as he is on the court. Lavishly illustrated and beautifully designed, this is Michael Jordan's most intimate book to date. Organized around the qualities that Jordan demonstrates in his own life and that he looks for in others - qualities like authenticity, integrity, passion and commitment - DRIVEN FROM WITHIN is an inspiring record of an extraordinary life.

Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana are among the least-known places in South America: nine hundred miles of muddy coastline giving way to a forest so dense that even today there are virtually no roads through it; a string of rickety coastal towns situated between the mouths of the Orinoco and Amazon Rivers, where living is so difficult that as many Guianese live abroad as in their homelands; an interior of watery, green anarchy where border disputes are often based on ancient Elizabethan maps, where flora and fauna are still being discovered, where thousands of rivers remain mostly impassable. And under the lens of John Gimlette—brilliantly offbeat, irreverent, and canny—these three small countries are among the most wildly intriguing places on earth. On an expedition that will last three months, he takes us deep into a remarkable world of swamp and jungle, from the hideouts of runaway slaves to the vegetation-strangled remnants of penal colonies and forts, from “Little Paris” to a settlement built around a satellite launch pad. He recounts the complicated, often surprisingly bloody, history of the region—including the infamous 1978 cult suicide at Jonestown—and introduces us to its inhabitants: from the world’s largest ants to fluorescent purple frogs to head-crushing jaguars; from indigenous tribes who still live by sorcery to descendants of African slaves, Dutch conquerors, Hmong refugees, Irish adventurers, and Scottish outlaws; from high-tech pirates to hapless pioneers for whom this stunning, strangely beautiful world (“a sort of X-rated Garden of Eden”) has become home by choice or by force. In Wild Coast, John Gimlette guides us through a fabulously entertaining, eye-opening—and sometimes jaw-dropping—journey.

This travel book is also the story of falling in love with a Bedouin. Set in Jordan, it offers cultural and political insights into the modern Arab world.