This New York Times–bestselling memoir about an African American man’s struggles and triumphs is “heartrending and beautiful” (Junot Diaz Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao). A Today Show Book Club selection, Raising Fences tells the story of a man whose youth was spent committing petty crimes, experimenting with sex, and developing a mortal fear of police. Like many young black men, Michael Datcher’s childhood was marked by the gaping hole left by an absent father. Out of that absence grew the desire to fulfill a dream that seemed almost a fantasy: to leave the streets behind, build a family, and become what he had wanted so badly—a good father. Moving past his self-destructive habits and taking responsibility for his mistakes wasn’t easy. Datcher’s journey nearly brought him to his breaking point—where he faced the threat of becoming what he feared most. “Datcher’s voice is clear, bold, daring, and welcome.” —Junot Diaz, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao “Honest, brisk and ultimately very moving . . . A beautiful story of real-life redemption.” —Kirkus Reviews “Combines attitude, honesty and romance . . . A stunning tribute to perseverance, courage and the power of positive thinking.” —Publishers Weekly “Brutally honest, hauntingly poetic . . . Heartbreaking.” —Essence “Riveting.” —USA Today “Poignant . . . Complex.” —The Seattle Times “An inspiration to all who dare to dream of a better life.” —The Star-Ledger

Relating his fatherless childhood in inner-city Los Angeles, a poet and journalist describes his yearning, and that of other African American men, to escape this destructive cycle to achieve personal security and happiness.

A profound and heartrending memoir of a man who grew up fatherless in inner-city LA, coming to understand as his mother worked overtime to feed him that men were not to be trusted. But as a young man, having already committed petty theft, experimented with sex and developed a mortal fear of police, Michael still dreamed of having a loving wife and family. This is his dramatic story of faith lost and regained, of uncommon courage and power, told by an acclaimed journalist and poet who fought for his second chance. |Brutally honest...hauntingly poetic| - Essence

From legendary playwright August Wilson comes the powerful, stunning dramatic bestseller that won him critical acclaim, including the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize. Troy Maxson is a strong man, a hard man. He has had to be to survive. Troy Maxson has gone through life in an America where to be proud and black is to face pressures that could crush a man, body and soul. But the 1950s are yielding to the new spirit of liberation in the 1960s, a spirit that is changing the world Troy Maxson has learned to deal with the only way he can, a spirit that is making him a stranger, angry and afraid, in a world he never knew and to a wife and son he understands less and less. This is a modern classic, a book that deals with the impossibly difficult themes of race in America, set during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s. Now an Academy Award-winning film directed by and starring Denzel Washington, along with Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Viola Davis.

Filled with sound, up-to-date advice and instruction, this complete guide makes fence building a task anyone can tackle with confidence.

Since 1973, Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins have offered practical, hands-on instructions designed to help readers master dozens of country living skills quickly and easily. There are now more than 170 titles in this series, and their remarkable popularity reflects the common desire of country and city dwellers alike to cultivate personal independence in everyday life.

A Gentle Invitation into the Challenging Topic of Privilege The notion that some might have it better than others, for no good reason, offends our sensibilities. Yet, until we talk about privilege, we’ll never fully understand it or find our way forward. Amy Julia Becker welcomes us into her life, from the charm of her privileged southern childhood to her adult experience in the northeast, and the denials she has faced as the mother of a child with special needs. She shows how a life behind a white picket fence can restrict even as it protects, and how it can prevent us from loving our neighbors well. White Picket Fences invites us to respond to privilege with generosity, humility, and hope. It opens us to questions we are afraid to ask, so that we can walk further from fear and closer to love, in all its fragile and mysterious possibilities.