Layering climate science, mythologies, nature writing, and personal experiences, this New York Times Notable Book presents a stunning reckoning with our current moment and with the literal and figurative end of time. Desert Notebooks examines how the unprecedented pace of destruction to our environment and an increasingly unstable geopolitical landscape have led us to the brink of a calamity greater than any humankind has confronted before. As inhabitants of the Anthropocene, what might some of our own histories tell us about how to confront apocalypse? And how might the geologies and ecologies of desert spaces inform how we see and act toward time—the pasts we have erased and paved over, this anxious present, the future we have no choice but to build? Ehrenreich draws on the stark grandeur of the desert to ask how we might reckon with the uncertainty that surrounds us and fight off the crises that have already begun. In the canyons and oases of the Mojave and in Las Vegas’s neon apocalypse, Ehrenreich finds beauty, and even hope, surging up in the most unlikely places, from the most barren rocks, and the apparent emptiness of the sky. Desert Notebooks is a vital and necessary chronicle of our past and our present—unflinching, urgent—yet timeless and profound.

In this powerful new collection, one of our most dazzlingly inventive and prolific poets tackles a universal theme: the agonizing search for God that is part and parcel of the livse of all of us. As always, Anne Sexton's latest work derives from intense personal experience. She explores the dilemmas and triumphs, and the agony and the peace of her highly unorthodox faith, sharing all her findings with her readers as the quest progresses. Anne Sexton's poetry speaks to our most passionate yearnings for love and our deepest fears of evil and death. The uncompromising honesty and vividness of "The Awful Rowing Toward God" confirms her stature as one of the most compelling voices of our time. -- From publisher's description.

Graphic novelist Igort illuminates two harrowing moments in recent history--the Ukraine famine and the assassination of a Russian journalist.

“Insightful commentary on the Bach family’s musical life and . . . the culture in which the Bachs lived. . . . Important and fascinating . . . Highly recommended.” —Choice At one time a star in her own right as a singer, Anna Magdalena (1701–60) would go on to become, through her marriage to the older Johann Sebastian Bach, history’s most famous musical wife and mother. The two musical notebooks belonging to her continue to live on, beloved by millions of pianists young and old. Yet the pedagogical utility of this music—long associated with the sound of children practicing and mothers listening—has encouraged a rosy and one-sided view of Anna Magdalena as a model of German feminine domesticity. Sex, Death, and Minuets offers the first in-depth study of these notebooks, reanimating Anna Magdalena as a historical subject—at once pious and bawdy, spirited and tragic. In these pages, we follow Magdalena from young and flamboyant performer to bereft and impoverished widow. David Yearsley explores the notebooks’ entries against the backdrop of the social practices and concerns that women shared in eighteenth-century Lutheran Germany. What emerges is a humane portrait of a musician who embraced the sensuality of song and the uplift of the keyboard, a sometimes ribald wife and oft-bereaved mother who used her cherished musical notebooks for piety and play, humor and devotion—for living and for dying. “Fascinating.” —Laurence Dreyfus, University of Oxford “Yearsley’s account . . . will doubtless stand as the definitive account of the ‘Bachin’ and her notebooks for years to come.” —Bettina Varwig, University of Cambridge “A warm, insightful, and compelling portrait.” —Matthew Dirst, University of Houston

"The Monster Loves His Labyrinth offers a fascinating glimpse into the mind of the poet. Passionate, witty, tender, and curious, these notebook entries range from casual jottings to profound observations. Their subject is the vast array of ways in which we human beings try to make sense of our world."--BOOK JACKET.

Adventure Time meets The Good Place in this zany-yet-philosophical graphic novel buddy comedy about the unlikely friendship between Death, a grim reaper who's never had a friend, and Sparkles, The Last Unicorn, a celebrity influencer who is somehow immune to Death's touch. Being Death is no way to live. Sure, you're all-powerful, but collecting souls involves a ton of paperwork, and it's impossible to have friends when everything you touch instantly dies. Being Sparkles the Last Unicorn isn't as fun as you'd imagine, either. Maybe it seems like the whole world wants to be your bestie, but really people just want you to pose with them for selfies, or use you to help them sell stuff. Everything changes when Death and Sparkles meet and realize they might just be one another's first chance at a real friend. But before they can even enjoy the bromance, the whole world starts freaking out about this unlikely pair. Will fame or BFFdom prevail? Laugh-out-loud hilarious, gently philosophical, and full of delightfully zany exuberance, this buddy comedy turns friendship on its head—literally—and will have readers believing in the power of cupcakes for breakfast and cosmic camaraderie. HILARIOUS BUDDY COMEDY: Move over, Wayne and Garth! Move over, Beavis and Butthead! Readers will love this spin on the classic mismatched BFF dynamic featuring two of the most powerful beings around: the guy in charge of taking everyone's life, and the most magical creature still in existence on Earth. Never have two beings been less alike or more adorable. PERFECT FOR RELUCTANT READERS: With bright, vibrant illustrations, big fun fonts, expressive sound effects throughout, an irreverent spirit, and a heart full of cupcakes, this graphic novel will entice even the most skeptical of young readers. BIG THEMES: Self-awareness; empathy; bravery; commercialism; celebrity influencers; and the courage to stand up for what you believe in, even if that's the hard thing to do—all of these important themes weave throughout the book in subtle ways that will resonate with readers without feeling heavy-handed. THE FIRST ADVENTURE OF MANY: This is the first book in a planned series about the adventures of Death and Sparkles. The next book will be out in Fall 2022! LIKE LIVING IN CANDYLAND: Rob Justus's expressive, vivid art makes readers feel like they're living in Candyland. With tons to see on every page, and countless visual gags per spread, this book will delight graphic novel fans and bring new readers to the genre. Perfect for: • Reluctant readers • Parents • Fans of graphic novels • Fans of unicorns • Educators