The Black Tax: 150 Years of Theft, Exploitation, and Dispossession in America

BY ANDREW W. KAHRL ’01

Author Andrew W. Kahrl takes a deep dive into the racist policies hidden within property tax law and exposes how it strips African Americans of their hard-earned land, halts the acquisition of generational wealth, works to keep Black people dispossessed and impoverished, and broadens the ever-widening racial wealth gap. Though taxes may not seem like the most riveting topic, Kahrl writes with real human stories at the forefront, focusing on the people directly affected by these harmful policies. (The University of Chicago Press)

Good People: Stories From the Best of Humanity

BY GABRIEL REILICH AND LUCIA KNELL ’13

When there’s plenty of bad news to go around, sharing positive stories that restore people’s faith in humanity feels more important than ever. Alumna Lucia Knell and co-writer Gabriel Reilich penned “Good People” for that very purpose. Both work at Upworthy, the media brand dedicated to making people smile with feel-good, heartwarming stories, and 101 of their best smile-inducing tales are included in this book. From stories of kind strangers to tales of kids saying the darnedest things, “Good People” will bring joy to readers of all ages. (National Geographic)

Anything Is Good

BY FRED WAITZKIN ’66

From the author of the beloved memoir-turned-movie, “Searching for Bobby Fischer,” “Anything Is Good” is based on the true story of Fred Waitzkin’s friend, Ralph Silverman. Described as “a foreign film buff, a victim of bullies, and a boy genius (who) held long conversations with his pet parakeet (and) created mesmerizing music,” Ralph is a compelling character from the jump, and he becomes even more unforgettable as the story of his father’s second family unfolds, and he becomes unhoused. Ralph takes over more and more of the story from the narrator, making for an immersive, propulsive read. (Open Road Media)

Plain Sight

BY DAVID BERGMAN ’72

Writer David Bergman first rose to poetic prominence decades ago with his stunning poems about life as a gay man. Now, Bergman is back with his first collection in 25 years — and it’s worth the wait. In “Plain Sight,” Bergman flexes his poetic prowess in writing about aging, his changing body, and life with Parkinson’s, a disease he’s lived with for the past several years and which necessitated his retirement from teaching. Bergman shares his experiences poignantly and with wry humor, finding wonder in the everyday and, in doing so, encouraging readers to see their own lives and struggles in a new light. (Passager Books)

Dear Readers and Riders: The Beloved Books, Faithful Fans, and Hidden Private Life of Marguerite Henry

BY LETTIE TEAGUE ’83

Marguerite Henry’s name may not come up in conversations about New York’s literary darlings, but the prolific author of 59 books has been beloved for generations. Her children’s books about horses and the humans who populate their world were so foundational in many young readers’ lives that Henry solidified and evolved the “horse girl” book genre as we know it. Award-winning wine writer and lifelong Henry fan Lettie Teague pens a love letter to the author in her biography of Henry that covers the author’s nearly eight decade-long career. Complete with letters, color photographs, and discussions of the other writers and collaborators in Henry’s orbit, “Dear Readers and Riders” brings the famed author back to life for her now-adult readers to enjoy. (Trafalgar Square Books)

---

Additional Releases

• Jessica Andruss ’21, “Jewish Piety in Islamic Jerusalem”

• Barbara Ellis ’75, “Container and Small Space Gardening for the South: How to Grow Flowers and Food No Matter Where You Live”

• Arthur Goldwag ’79, “The Politics of Fear” 

• Anara Guard ’78, “Kansas, Reimagined”

• George Holloway ’77, “From the Mountains to the Prairies”

• Fritz Horstman ’01 “Interacting with Color: A Practical Guide to Josef Albers’s Color Experiments”

• Scott Jarrett ’92, “Ten Cent Beer Night”

• Rebecca Katzman ’14, “Your Vote Matters: How We Elect the US President”

• Scott Kenemore ’00, “Edge of the Wire”

• David Lynn ’76, “Rebuilding the Goat Walk: An Eco Memoir”

• John Lysaker ’88, “Hope, Trust, and Forgiveness: Essays in Finitude”

• Tim Miller ’08, “Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea: A Critical Companion” and “Palgrave Science Fiction and Fantasy: A New Canon”

• Anne Morrissy, ’01 “Street Fight: The Chicago Taxi Wars of the 1920s”

• Jeff Place ’79, “Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick 58-71”

• Phil Porter, ’74 “Blest Be the Tie That Binds, Mackinac Island’s Little Stone Church” and “The Charming Gentleman of the Game of Golf, Frank Dufina and the Dufina Family Professional Golfers of Mackinac Island”

• Millicent N. Simmelink ’78, “Set Your Sails to Reach!”

• Martha Skogen ’90, “The Glass Tree”

• Charles “Cully” D. Stimson ’86, “Rogue Prosecutors”

• Thomas Storck ’73, “The Prosperity Gospel: How Greed and Bad Philosophy Distorted Christ’s Teachings”

• Diana Williams ’81, “Traveling Solo”

Have you published a book in the past year? Email editor@kenyon.edu and tell us about it.