Books published by Akashic Books,U.S.

A cookbook inspired by the food of Ziggy's upbringing in the household of Bob and Rita Marley.

The bigger, newly designed edition of an iconic skateboarding book, including additional never-before-seen Glen E. Friedman photos and a new C.R. Stecyk III postscript.

A breathtaking science fiction debut from a worthy successor to Octavia Butler.

Two weeks before his twenty-first birthday, Las Vegas native Bobby Ingersoll finds out he''s inherited a crushing gambling debt from his scumbag father. The debt is owed to an even scummier bag named Fraser Ruphart who oversees his bottom-rung criminal empire from the classy-adjacent Trump International Hotel. Bobby''s prospects of paying off the note, which comes due the day he turns twenty-one, are about as dim as the sign on the tower''s facade. The two weeks pass in the blink of a (snake) eye, but before Bobby''s luck runs out, he stumbles upon enough cash to pay Ruphart off and change his family''s fortune. More importantly, he finds himself with a new, for lack of a better word, faith. Bobby does not consign his big break to a ''higher power'' - what Penn Jillette hero ever could? Instead, he devises and devotes himself to Random, a philosophy where his life choices are based entirely on the roll of his ''lucky'' dice. What follows is a hilarious exploration into not so much what defines

"Aleksandar and Isobel are siblings and former classical music prodigies, once destined for greatness. As the only Eastern European family growing up on their block on the far southside of Chicago, the pair were inseparable until each was forced to confront the absurdity of tragedy at an early age and abandon their musical ambitions. Now in their twenties, they find themselves encountering ridiculous jobs, unfulfilling romantic relationships, and the outrageousness of ordinary life. Doomed by fate, a family history of failure, an odd mother, an absent father, and a younger brother with a peculiar fondness for catastrophes, the two siblings have all but given up. But when an illness forces Isobel and her three-year-old daughter to move back into the family home, Aleks becomes deeply involved in the endless challenges that surround his relatives. Once Isobel begins playing cello again, Aleks comes to see a world of possibility and wonder in the lives of his extraordinarily complicated family."--

"Within these pages you'll find stories of those walking the straight and narrow; until something untoward happens. Maybe it's someone taking a step out of line, getting caught up in circumstances spiraling out of their control. Maybe they're planning the grift, the grab ... whatever it is to finally put them over. Other times the steps they take are to get themselves or people they care about out from under. You'll find the offerings in these pages are a rich mix of tone; tales told of hope, survival, revenge, and triumph. Excursions beyond the headlines and the hype. The settings herein reflect South Central today or chronicle its colorful past, such as the days of the jazz joints along Central Avenue ... From South Park to East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, from the borderlands of Watts to the one-time Southern Pacific railroad tracks paralleling Slauson Avenue, take a tour of a section of Los Angeles that may be unfamiliar to you but you will get to know, at least a little, by the time you finish reading this entertaining and engaging anthology"--

We see our present-day pandemic world and New York City through the eyes of a former Wall Street veteran, Ridley, as he, in his enforced quarantined solitude, looks back upon his life. Sitting and brooding night after night, gazing out his huge picture window high above the Central Park Reservoir, Ridley spots a flashing light in an apartment across the park as if a lonely quarantined person is signalling him in Morse code. His determination to find out who this mystery woman is, this fellow quarantine damsel in distress trapped in her own Fifth Avenue tower, leads him on an epic quest that will ultimately tempt him with either delusional madness or the fulfilment of his own mythic fate.

"Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city. Brand-new stories by: Peter Heller, Barbara Nickless, Cynthia Swanson, Mario Acevedo, Francelia Belton, R. Alan Brooks, D.L. Cordero, Amy Drayer, Twanna LaTrice Hill, Manuel Ramos, Mark Stevens, Mathangi Subramanian, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, and Erika T. Wurth

A stunning collection of the most iconic photographs ever taken of Black Flag, along with never-before-seen shots and a foreword by Chuck Dukowski. 256 jam-packed pages, over 300 photographs, and over 70% of the photos have never been seen."[A] lively, lavishly assembled collection of Black Flag photos . . . Fury is palpable throughout the book--even rehearsals look like barnburners."--Los Angeles Times"This gorgeous book collects [Friedman's] photographs chronologically, while capturing the full intensity, drama, and ethos of the group . . . For those of us who were too young to be there, this is the next best thing. These still images come to life with every turn of the page, so put on Damaged and dig in."--The Big Takeover"Many of Friedman's photos of the band midperformance include, critically, galvanized audience members, which reinforces the idea that early punk was a social movement. Friedman . . . has been fighting the good fight with his lens for decades. What I See documents a band standing in for any artist committed to questioning rules and living with integrity."--Shelf Awareness, STARRED ReviewWhat I See: The Black Flag Photographs of Glen E. Friedman is an incredible compilation of all of Friedman's most iconic and recognizable images (from 1980 to 1983), of this seminal American punk band, as well as over one hundred never-before-seen photos made during those phenomenal peak years in the group's history.The book includes a foreword by Chuck Dukowski, a cofounder and bass player of Black Flag. Friedman's own introduction to the book takes readers through his journey with the group, from the very first time he heard their music, to his perspectives on the music of the era, to the how, why, and what Black Flag were doing at the time. His words provide additional context to the imagery, explaining what drove him to create his art alongside the band.From the streets around Black Flag's single-room home base/office, rehearsing for their first album, handing out flyers, wheat-pasting posters, driving for hours to a show and returning the same night, house parties, clubs, to the big stage and the beach, Glen E. Friedman was there with his heart, soul, and most importantly his camera. In What I See, he shares with us and inspires us with these images that were made over an incredibly volatile four-year time span.

"Following the success of Paris Noir, the Akashic Noir Series has expanded to include the famously diverse and sometimes controversial suburbs of this legendary city."--Provided by publisher.

My Dog Romeo is a playful and endearing tribute to Ziggy Marley's beloved pet dog Romeo.

"When two sisters wander the shore on their family beach outing in search of seashells, smooth pebbles, and other sandy treasures, they discover a gigantic seed pod large enough to hold them afloat. Unable to resist, they climb aboard, and before they know it are swept across the ocean to a mysterious island populated by marvelous vegetation and outsized insects. As they explore, their vessel is carried back out to sea, and they are stranded on the grand isle. Curiosity has led them far from home and only an act of daring and resourcefulness will bring them back. This wordless adventure leads the audience through a richly imagined land packed with spectacular flowers and foliage well suited to Willy Wonka's botanical garden. Samworth combines the natural with the surreal in harmonious colors to create a landscape that promises new discoveries on each visit"--Amazon.com.

A deep dive into the role that mass-appeal movies, television, videos, and music played in Donald Trump's failed reelection campaign, including brand-new interviews with some of the major players."The former personal manager for artists including Nirvana and Bonnie Raitt interviewed some of the most well-known performers who raised their voices against the former president--including Bruce Springsteen, John Legend and Rosanne Cash, among others--for his recently released book, Bloody Crossroads 2020: Art, Entertainment, and Resistance to Trump."--The Hill"Bloody Crossroads 2020 is a riveting and thoughtful tour of the role artists played in resisting the horrors of the Trump presidency. Danny Goldberg provides a bracing and thorough recollection that is both a service and a reminder for artists to stay engaged and awake. To counter those who continually tell me to 'shut up and sing, ' I will buy a couple of crates of this book and get my marching boots polished. Thank you, Danny, for reminding me how it went down, and where it might go."--Rosanne Cash"The people who produce our popular culture--the performers and makers of TV shows and movies and music and the rest--are nearly all on the political left. (Which drives the right crazy; crazier.) Danny Goldberg--impresario, activist, mensch--knowingly and passionately chronicles how and why more of his fellow culture-makers than ever enlisted in the fight to save American democracy in 2020. Our annus horribilis had a political happy ending, and Bloody Crossroads 2020 is its star-studded souvenir program."--Kurt Andersen, author of Evil Geniuses and FantasylandBloody Crossroads 2020 takes a deep dive into the role that mass-appeal movies, television, videos, and music played in America's political culture in the year of Donald Trump's failed reelection campaign. The book also explores the impact of entertainment celebrities in communications, fundraising, and campaigning to support the election of Joe Biden.Although there existed a decades-old tradition of "liberal Hollywood," Trump's ascension to the presidency in 2016 triggered an unprecedented level of engagement by artists and performers. Within days of the 2016 election, a critical mass of entertainers, from teenagers to the last survivors of the World War II generation--blockbuster movie stars, art-film auteurs, Broadway dramatists, comedians, and musicians from the worlds of classical, country, pop, rock, R&B, and hip-hop--all seemed to have heard the tom-tom beat of resistance at the same moment and amplified a moral alternative to Trumpism. That level of engagement intensified with rare passion and purpose in the period of 2020 chronicled in Bloody Crossroads 2020--the Democratic primaries, the COVID-19 pandemic, the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, the conviction of sexual predator Harvey Weinstein, and the 2020 general election campaign--culminating in Trump's failed insurrection.Exhaustively researched, Bloody Crossroads 2020 draws from brand-new interviews with Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Rosanne Cash, David Simon, Adam McKay, Chuck D, David Corn, Mandy Patinkin, and many more. It also explores the important political activities of entertainers like Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Alyssa Milano, Mark Ruffalo, Jane Fonda, Robert De Niro, Bette Midler, Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Wanda Sykes.Bloody Crossroads 2020 expertly dissects and celebrates how the empowering actions of artists and entertainers helped a record turnout of everyday citizens realize a triumphant 2020 election.

"Growing up in dire poverty in Suffolk, Virginia, Sugar (born Ta'Shauna) Rodgers never imagined that she would become an all-star player in the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association). Both of her siblings were in and out of prison throughout much of her childhood and shootings in her neighborhood were commonplace. For Sugar this was just a fact of life. While academics wasn't a high priority for Sugar and many of her friends, athletics always played a prominent role. She mastered her three-point shot on a net her brother put up just outside their home, eventually becoming so good that she could hustle local drug dealers out of money in one-on-one contests. With the love and support of her family and friends, Sugar's performance on her high school basketball team led to her recruitment by the Georgetown Hoyas, and her eventual draft into the WNBA in 2013 by the Minnesota Lynx (who won the WNBA Finals in Sugar's first year). The first of her family to attend college, Sugar speaks of her struggles both academically and as an athlete with raw honesty. Sugar's road to a successful career as a professional basketball player is fraught with sadness and death--including her mother's death when she's fourteen, which leaves Sugar essentially homeless. Throughout it all, Sugar clings to basketball as a way to keep herself focused and sane. And now Sugar shares her story as a message of hope and inspiration for young girls and boys everywhere, but especially those growing up in economically challenging conditions. Never sugarcoating her life experiences, she delivers a powerful message of discipline, perseverance, and always believing in oneself."--Provided by publisher.

"Plib is like every other N²²rfbl²²k kid on Earth, except for one thing. He loves humans--those horrible, terrifying monsters who dominated the planet ten billion years ago. Only one thing about the humans bothers Plib. What happened to them all?"--From publisher's description.

"Ric Ocasek's rock and roll classic 'Good Times Roll'--the third single from the Cars' groundbreaking debut 1978 album--leaps off the page in illustrator Rob Sayegh Jr.'s playful picture book. Two cats hysterically confront an unraveling ball of yarn with familiar feline antics that will charm parents and children alike, all to the tune of one of rock and roll's most memorable songs."--Back cover.

Renowned photographer Glen E. Friedman's breathtaking and ambitious exploration of clouds. "Recognize your humility, recognize the power of nature, recognize the beauty of the world. It is rare to find a photography book like t

A beautifully curated collection from celebrated photographer Glen E. Friedman's early years. "The Idealist is a retrospective collection of Friedman's aesthetics, [featuring] some of the images for which he is justly acclaimed and many others that will be new to his fans, ranging from DogTown skateboarders, and hard-core heroes to hip-hop icons, cityscapes to portraits, public intellectuals to historical monuments." --BOMB The Idealist showcases the photography of Glen E. Friedman, who the Washington Post calls, "One of the greats of his generation." The Idealist is the work of a true visionary, effortlessly mixing landscapes, still life, and documentary photography in an exploration of his own innate idealism. The images are enhanced with original comments from some of the most progressive and politically controversial thinkers of our time--Ralph Nader, Reverend Al Sharpton, Ian MacKaye, Cornel West, and Ian F. Svenonius. This collection of photographs from 25 years (1976-2001) of Friedman's work concentrates on his visual aesthetic and is the public introduction to his striking fine-art photography. Though he continues a heavy focus on both imagery and message, only a few of his traditional photographs of legendary people in the hip-hop, punk, and skate communities will be recognized. The Idealist traces Friedman's development as a fine artist as his subject matter includes a breathtaking international scope of landscapes, still life, and documentary, highlighting his capacity to capture essential moments of most anything he sets his eyes on, to help us open ours.

The debut title of a new city-based anthology series featuring stories with speculative, sci-fi, and paranormal themes.

"Dream Weaver is a vibrantly illustrated picture book based on Gary Wright's 1975 breakout single from his platinum-selling album The Dream Weaver, which has sold over two million copies. 'Dream Weaver' peaked at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and reached #1 in Canada. The song's popularity continued long after its release, and in 1991, Wright recorded a new version for the Wayne's World soundtrack; the soundtrack reached #1 on Billboard's soundtrack album chart and also sold over two million copies. 'Dream Weaver' continues to appear in films and TV shows to this day. With lyrics by Gary Wright and illustrations by Rob Sayegh Jr., this magical picture book follows a little boy's dream of a train that takes him all the way to the moon. Poised to become a bedtime classic, Dream Weaver is the perfect opportunity for parents to share this timeless song and will surely spark the imaginations of young and old alike."--Amazon.