Books published by Avalon Publishing Group

America's leading expert on men and masculinity explains why, with the demographics of the nation rapidly changing and the levers of political power ostensibly slipping from their hands, white men are angrier than ever before in our recent history.

This powerful look at peaceful protest demystifies nonviolence as an important political tool, explores its historical roots, and reveals the careful planning behind these seemingly spontaneous movements-like Occupy Wall Street, the Umbrella Movement, the Climate March, the Millions March, and Tahrir Square-instructing potential activist as to how they can create lasting change.

The bestselling author of War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning and Empire of Illusion takes us inside the dark heart of American empire, at home and abroad.

When six Mafiosi were slaughtered in a quiet German town on the morning of August 15, 2007, the massive reach of Calabria's mafia was brought brutally into focus. In The Honoured Society, acclaimed investigative reporter Petra Reski reveals how Sicilian organized crime networks-some of the largest, most influential and deadliest in the world-do their bloody business.

The dramatic--and largely unknown--story of the rise of China's economic empire in Africa and how it will transform geopolitics

For the legions of American Soccer fans, the first book to expose the violence, conspiracies, heartbreaks and big business machinations of the game-and the country it is inextricably linked with, Italy, the World Cup Winner, 2006.

A leading activist and leader of the women's movement takes on the religious right

A hair-raising memoir of Kathie Klarreich's life in Haiti as a reporter for NPR, Christian Science Monitor, ABC News and Time during the past decade

Named the Dolman Travel Book of the Year, The Dead Yard paints an unforgettable portrait of modern Jamaica. Since independence, Jamaica has gradually become associated with twin images--a resort-style travel Eden for foreigners and a new kind of hell for Jamaicans, a society where gangs control the areas where most Jamaicans live and drug lords like Christopher Coke rule elites and the poor alike. Ian Thomson''s brave book explores a country of lost promise, where America''s hunger for drugs fuels a dependent economy and shadowy politics. The lauded birthplace of reggae and Bob Marley, Jamaica is now sunk in corruption and hopelessness. A synthesis of vital history and unflinching reportage, The Dead Yard is "a fascinating account of a beautiful, treacherous country" (Irish Times).

The thrilling story of the Bonnot Gang, a band of anarchist bank robbers whose crimes terrorized Belle Epoque Paris, and whose escapades reflected the fast-paced, dizzyingly modern, and increasingly violent period on the eve of World War I.

A deep and intimate look at the lives of LGBTQ youth in foster care, vividly chronicling their struggles, fears and hardships, and revealing the force that allows them to carry on: the irrepressible power of hope.

For centuries, scientists have strived to predict the future. But to what extent have they succeeded? Can past events-Hurricane Katrina, the Internet stock bubble, the SARS outbreak-help us understand what will happen next? Will scientists ever really be able to forecast catastrophes, or will we always be at the mercy of Mother Nature, waiting for the next storm, epidemic, or economic crash to thunder through our lives? In The Future of Everything, David Orrell looks back at the history of forecasting, from the time of the oracle at Delphi to the rise of astrology to the advent of the TV weather report, showing us how scientists (and some charlatans) predicted the future. How can today’s scientists claim to anticipate future weather events when even thee-day forecasts prove a serious challenge? How can we predict and control epidemics? Can we accurately foresee our financial future? Or will we only find out about tomorrow when tomorrow arrives?

"Lingeman's discussion of films is never less than interesting, and he understands the paradox of a politically repressive period leading to some of the most inventive films ever made." -New York Times Book Review

From the leading magazine on the left, an exose of the failures, lies and misdeeds that caused the financial collapse-and a plan for rescuing the country.

Everyone loves a carnival, whether it's the Big Top or a traveling midway kicking up dust. These roving extravaganzas are as amusing as they are mysterious and as innocent as they are sordid. Step Right Up is a one-of-a-kind anthology that collects the finest literature and the most absorbing first-person accounts about carnivals, sideshows, and the circus, capturing all of the spectacle and sensation of this unusual and treasured tradition. A colourful assortment of characters populate the fairgrounds and circus tents of this unique collection from circus legends like P. T. Barnum and Otis Jordan the Frog Prince to a motley crew of ride monkeys and rubes. Step Right Up takes the reader everywhere from a small village in Romania to the streets of Coney Island and offers everything from Fred Rosen's account of the scandalous demise of Grady "Lobster Boy" Stiles Jr. to imaginative fiction like Michael Chabon's macabre take on the origin of clowns. The bizarre romance and mystery of the world's oldest and oddest traveling institution come to life in selections from Katherine Dunn, Kevin Baker, Jim Tully, Flannery O'Connor, Lee Durkee, Robert Hough, Michael Chabon, Fred Rosen, Susan Dickinson, Joseph Michell, Edora Welty, and Ellen Hunnicut.

Garbo and Crawford. Ava, Hedy, Judy, Liz epitomized Hollywood''s golden era. With a trembling lip or sultry eye, with a tear or song or husky whisper, these women held moviegoers across America in their sway from the hard times of the 1930s through the booming postwar years to the early sixties. They were royalty and box office, and led pampered public lives—furs, jewels, designer gowns; limousines, flash bulbs, handsome escorts—that captured the national imagination. They also signed seven-year contracts with a morals clause, and the more they slipped, the more the secret abortions, efficient cover-ups, legal legerdemain, and dropped charges bound them to the wizard in their Oz, Louis B. Mayer. The slips are here along with the successes. Here, too, are the Blonde Bombshell Jean Harlow, Million-Dollar Mermaid Esther Williams, Sweater Girl Lana Turner, and bad girl Ava Gardner ("She can''t act. She can''t talk. She''s terrific," declared Mayer after her screen test). From Jeanette MacDonald and Norma Shearer to Princess Grace and Dame Elizabeth Taylor, the sixteen portraits in this lively, photograph-filled volume, each accompanied by the star''s filmography, tell the tales that have long lay hidden behind the gossip and the glories of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer''s glamorous golden girls.

A leading investment professional explains the world of impact investing--investing in businesses and projects with a social and financial return--and shows what it takes to make sustainable, transformative change.

In this debut collection of eight compulsively readable stories, McIntyre combines honesty and compassion with hilarious dialogue, marking the auspicious arrival of an exciting new talent.

What if politicians pose a graver threat to liberal democracy than mass migration? Brexit and Donald Trump's victory were just the beginning -- and Marine Le Pen's defeat does not signal a turning of the tide. From the Introduction From Europe to the United States, opportunistic politicians have exploited the economic crisis, terrorist attacks, and an unprecedented influx of refugees to bring hateful and reactionary views from the margins of political discourse into the mainstream. They have won the votes of workers, women, gays, and Jews; turned openly xenophobic ideas into state policy; and pulled besieged centrist parties to the right. How did we get here? In this deeply reported account, Sasha Polakow-Suransky provides a front-row seat to the anger, desperation, and dissent that are driving some voters into the arms of the far right and stirring others to resist. He introduces readers to refugees in the Calais "Jungle" and the angry working-class neighbors who want them out; a World War II refugee-turned-rabbi who became a leading defender of Muslim immigrants; the children of Holocaust survivors who have become apologists for the new right; and alt-right activists and the intellectuals who enable them. Polakow-Suransky chronicles how the backlash against refugees and immigrants has reshaped our political landscape. Ultimately, he argues that the greatest threat comes not from outside, but from within -- even established democracies are at risk of betraying their core values and falling apart.

A vital and sweeping examination of today's 'boy crisis,' demonstrating the ways in which we raise boys into a culture of toxic masculinity and offering solutions that can liberate us all

From Picasso to Patton, the Suffragettes to the Samurai, William Duggan shows how the secret of Napoleon's success on the battlefields of Europe has also been used by distinguished world figures including General Wesley Clark

This green, organic, environmentally-sensitive, allergy-aware cookbook is practical, and unlike most allergy cookbooks, fun and informative. There are recipes for all the common allergies such as candida, sugar, and dairy.

Written with eloquence, compassion, and fierce intelligence, The World I Loved takes us on an unforgettable journey through twentieth-century Lebanon

In this lovely and informative book, Carolyn White delves into one of the most intriguing aspects of Irish folklore, the otherworld of fairies. Whether you''re a true believer or not, it''s impossible not to be seduced by the details of their universe, as White covers everything from the central question of the numerous varieties of fairies to more detailed inquiries about what they eat, where they live, and what happens when a fairy and a mortal fall in love. This is the ultimate guide to the Wee People, from cluricauns and leprechauns, to Silkies, Banshees, and Pookas. Chapters include: Fairies and the Devil, Fairy Clothes and Appearance, Immortality of Fairies, and How to Provoke a Fairy. Filled with entertaining stories and interesting details, A History of Irish Fairies will delight any reader who has ever been curious about this whimsical facet of Irish culture.

Young activists look back to their parents generation and reflect on the Movement as it was then, and how they have reclaimed and transformed it in today's world.