Cristina Rathbone’s poignant account of the strife along the U.S.- Mexico border is now available for purchase. In THE ASYLUM SEEKERS, Rathbone provides a heartfelt and authentic look into the community of men, women, and children who in 2019 formed a makeshift camp at the foot of a bridge in Juarez while pursuing legal entry into the U.S. amidst sometimes harrowing and heartbreaking circumstances.

“This staggeringly beautiful and important book will fill your heart and mind with a sense of wonder, sorrow, and gratitude for what it has shown you.” – Francisco Goldman, author of MONKEY BOY

THE ASYLUM SEEKERS: A CHRONICLE OF LIFE, DEATH, AND COMMUNITY AT THE BORDER is available now from Broadleaf Books wherever books are sold.

Publisher’s Weekly applauds Cristina Rathbone for her touching and powerful reporting in THE ASYLUM SEEKERS. In what PW refers to as “a heartbreaking portrait,” the award-winning journalist and priest recounts harrowing stories of hardships and tenacity at the US-Mexico Border. 

“Rathbone exposes in riveting detail the humanitarian horrors and government inefficiencies plaguing the border, but also strikes a hopeful note by highlighting the determination of those who help asylum seekers… This won’t be easily forgotten.” 

Read the full PW review here.

THE ASYLUM SEEKERS: A CHRONICLE OF LIFE, DEATH, AND COMMUNITY AT THE BORDER will be available from Broadleaf Books on March 18^th. 

Following the rerelease of Craig Clevenger’s THE CONTORTIONIST’S HANDBOOK, the New York Times highlighted this “cult classic” as one of three new horror books to read this month. Described as “one of those stories that defy categorization,” THE CONTORTIONIST’S HANDBOOK details the life of a gifted forger who repeatedly transforms his identity to evade the law. 

“The novel is a masterclass in tension…With its re-release, this superbly written and very entertaining novel is sure to make its mark on a new generation of readers.” 

Read the full article here.

THE CONTORTIONIST’S HANDBOOK is available now from Datura wherever books are sold.

Craig Clevenger’s debut novel, THE CONTORTIONIST’S HANDBOOK, is back on the shelves, now with an introduction by bestselling author and Edgar award-winner Jordan Harper. THE CONTORTIONIST’S HANDBOOK describes the twisted story of a young forger in 1980s LA, who continually reinvents himself to escape incarceration. 

Datura’s reissue of THE CONTORTIONIST’S HANDBOOK follows their publication of Clevenger’s most recent crime novel, MOTHER HOWL—another stunning page-turner. 

THE CONTORTIONIST’S HANDBOOK and MOTHER HOWL are available now from Datura wherever books are sold. 

Acclaim for Aijazuddin’s debut continues to roll in as the artist’s memoir hits the shelves at long last. Some notable spotlights include an appearance on Literary Hub’s list of “24 New Books Out Today,” Book Riot naming MANBOOBS one of the “24 Best LGBTQ Books Out This Week,” and Queerty featuring an excerpt in their online issue. 

Debutiful praises Aijazuddin and includes MANBOOBS on their list of “10 Noteworthy Debut Books to Read This August.” In an accompanying review, Debutiful raves, “This laugh-out-loud memoir tackles everything from body image and love to the cultural differences between Pakistan and America…[Aijazuddin’s] humor and keen observations of society make this an unforgettable memoir.” 

MANBOOBS: A MEMIOR OF MUSICALS, VISAS, HOPE AND CAKE is available now from Abrams Press! 

Apple Books is the latest to sing the praises of Komail Aijazuddin’s MANBOOBS, crowning his debut as one of the “Best Books of August” and the audiobook as a “Must-Listen Staff Pick.” In an accompanying review, Apple Books writes, “What seems light and breezy on the surface is roiling with deep emotion just beneath in this stellar memoir.” Rich in both hilarity and heart, Aijazuddin’s story of finding self-acceptance is one readers won’t soon forget. 

“Witty, emotional, and deeply relatable, MANBOOBS is a knock-your-socks-off memoir.”

Read the full Apple Books Review here.  

MANBOOBS: A MEMIOR Of MUSICALS, VISAS, HOPE, AND CAKE will be available from Abrams Books on August 13^th. 

Ahead of the release of his forthcoming memoir, MANBOOBS, Aijazuddin sat down with Publishers Weekly to discuss writing about his experience as an immigrant in America. With both humor and heart, Aijazuddin’s “stirring” debut explores this theme in depth and offers a fresh reexamination of the American Dream, recounting his journey from Lahore, Pakistan to Brooklyn, New York, where acceptance did not come easily. 

“After nearly 20 years in the U.S., three of them as a citizen, Aijazuddin says the notion of national identity still troubles him. ‘One of the questions I wanted to pose with this book was, ‘When does one go from an immigrant to an American?’ If you look and sound a certain way, such as I do, you may never be seen as an American.’”  

Pick up your own copy of MANBOOBS: A MEMIOR OF MUSICALS, VISAS, HOPE, AND CAKE (available from Abrams Books) on August 13^th to read more about Aijazuddin’s ups and downs with immigration, sexuality, self-acceptance, and so much more. 

Read the full PW article, featuring more immigrant authors, here.

In a starred review, BookPage gushes over Aijazuddin’s “smart, funny, and moving” memoir, declaring, “Readers will… revel in the powerful prose and writerly panache that make MANBOOBS a winning and heartfelt debut, rife with plentiful humor, sharply observed commentary on religion and politics, potent musings on identity, and an inspiring message from one man’s path to hard-won self-acceptance.”

Additionally, MANBOOBS is featured in The Washington Post’s 10 Noteworthy Books for July and August, in which the Post writes, “At once both humorous and heartbreaking, [Aijazuddin’s] memoir allows his bubbly personality to shine in a story about letting go of shame and finding self-acceptance.” 

Read the full BookPage review here.

MANBOOBS: A MEMIOR OF MUSICALS, VISAS, HOPE, AND CAKE will be available from Abrams Books on August 13^th. 

New Orleans journalist Boyce Upholt’s sprawling history of the Mississippi river continues to captivate! Check out some of the recent praise for THE GREAT RIVER below. 

“THE GREAT RIVER offers an excellent way to gain understanding of the Mississippi River and its watershed, to enjoy the rich story of how it came to be the way it is, and to peer into the murky future with hope.” – The New Orleans Times-Picayune

“Thanks to [Upholt’s] concise yet lively writing style, THE GREAT RIVER… compellingly pays homage to a waterway worthy of its moniker.” – BookPage

“…embracing the quirky, ever-shifting nature of his subject, Upholt offers us what one might call a biography of the Mississippi. It’s a fast, fun reading experience that examines its subject with a seriousness and subjectivity to craft a compelling narrative that brings the river to life.” – Narrative Species Podcast 

Read the full New Orleans Times review here, BookPage review here, and Narrative Species review here.

THE GREAT RIVER: THE MAKING AND UNMAKING OF THE MISSISSIPPI is available now from Norton wherever books are sold.

In a recent review, The Washington Post describes THE GREAT RIVER as “an eloquent story,” in which Upholt chronicles the complex past of the Mississippi, while never losing his reverence for the magnificence of the river itself. 

“Far from a simple history, Upholt’s book gives readers a direct sensory encounter with the beauty and boldness of the river… For those who have never placed a paddle in those sacred waters, reading THE GREAT RIVER is the closest thing to traveling the Mississippi and engaging with its story and its ferocity.”

Read the full review here.

THE GREAT RIVER: THE MAKING AND UNMAKING OF THE MISSISSIPPI is available now from Norton.