Social Science Audiobooks | Non-Fiction

We Are Each Other's Harvest: Celebrating African American Farmers, Land, and Legacy

From the author of Queen Sugar—now a critically acclaimed series on OWN directed by Ava Duvernay—comes a beautiful exploration and celebration of black farming in America. In this impressive anthology, Natalie Baszile brings together essays, poems, quotes, conversations, and first-person stories to examine black people’s connection to the American land from Emancipation to today. In the 1920s, there were over one million black farmers; today there are just 45,000. Baszile explores this crisis, through the farmers’ personal experiences. In their own words, middle aged and elderly black farmers explain why they continue to farm despite systemic discrimination and land loss. The 'Returning Generation'—young farmers, who are building upon the legacy of their ancestors, talk about the challenges they face as they seek to redress issues of food justice, food sovereignty, and reparations. These farmers are joined by other influential voices, including noted historians Analena Hope Hassberg and Pete Daniel, and award-winning author Clyde W. Ford, who considers the arrival of Africans to American shores; and James Beard Award-winning writers and Michael Twitty, reflects on black culinary tradition and its African roots. Poetry and inspirational quotes are woven into these diverse narratives, adding richness and texture. As Baszile reveals, black farming informs crucial aspects of American culture—the family, the way our national identity is bound up with the land, the pull of memory, the healing power of food, and race relations. She reminds us that the land, well-earned and fiercely protected, transcends history and signifies a home that can be tended, tilled, and passed to succeeding generations with pride. We Are Each Other’s Harvest elevates the voices and stories of black farmers and people of color, celebrating their perseverance and resilience, while spotlighting the challenges they continue to face. Luminous and eye-opening, this eclectic collection helps people and communities of color today reimagine what it means to be dedicated to the soil.

Natalie Baszile (Author), Tina Lifford (Narrator)

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The Punitive Turn in American Life: How the United States Learned to Fight Crime Like a War

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson insisted that 'the policeman is the frontline soldier in our war against crime,' and police forces, arms makers, policy makers, and crime experts heeded this call to arms, bringing weapons and practices from the arena of war back home. The Punitive Turn in American Life offers a political and cultural history of the ways in which punishment and surveillance have moved to the center of American life and become imbued with militarized language and policies. Michael S. Sherry argues that, by the 1990s, the 'war on crime' had been successfully broadcast to millions of Americans at an enormous cost and that the currents of vengeance that ran through the punitive turn, underwriting torture at home and abroad, found a new voice with the election of Donald J. Trump. By 2020, the connections between war-fighting and crime-fighting remained powerful, evident in campaigns against undocumented immigrants and the militarized police response to the nationwide uprisings after George Floyd's murder. From the racist system of mass incarceration and the militarization of criminal justice to gated communities, public schools patrolled by police, and armies of private security, Sherry chronicles the United States' slide into becoming a meaner, punishment-obsessed nation.

Michael S. Sherry (Author), Rick Adamson (Narrator)

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Names of New York: Discovering the City's Past, Present, and Future Through Its Place-Names

'A casually wondrous experience; it made me feel like the city was unfolding beneath my feet." -Jia Tolentino, author of Trick Mirror In place-names lie stories. That's the truth that animates this fascinating journey through the names of New York City's streets and parks, boroughs and bridges, playgrounds and neighborhoods. Exploring the power of naming to shape experience and our sense of place, Joshua Jelly-Schapiro traces the ways in which native Lenape, Dutch settlers, British invaders, and successive waves of immigrants have left their marks on the city's map. He excavates the roots of many names, from Brooklyn to Harlem, that have gained iconic meaning worldwide. He interviews the last living speakers of Lenape, visits the harbor's forgotten islands, lingers on street corners named for ballplayers and saints, and meets linguists who study the estimated eight hundred languages now spoken in New York. As recent arrivals continue to find new ways to make New York's neighborhoods their own, the names that stick to the city's streets function not only as portals to explore the past but also as a means to reimagine what is possible now.

Joshua Jelly-Schapiro (Author), Joshua Jelly-Schapiro (Narrator)

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Central America's Forgotten History: Revolution, Violence, and the Roots of Migration

Restores the region's fraught history of repression and resistance to popular consciousness and connects the United States' interventions and influence to the influx of refugees seeking asylum today. At the center of the current immigration debate are migrants from Central America fleeing poverty, corruption, and violence in search of refuge in the United States. In Central America's Forgotten History, Aviva Chomsky answers the urgent question "How did we get here?" Centering the centuries-long intertwined histories of US expansion and Indigenous and Central American struggles against inequality and oppression, Chomsky highlights the pernicious cycle of colonial and neocolonial development policies that promote cultures of violence and forgetting without any accountability or restorative reparations. Focusing on the valiant struggles for social and economic justice in Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras, Chomsky restores these vivid and gripping events to popular consciousness. Tracing the roots of displacement and migration in Central America to the Spanish conquest and bringing us to the present day, she concludes that the more immediate roots of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras lie in the wars and in the US interventions of the 1980s and the peace accords of the 1990s that set the stage for neoliberalism in Central America. Chomsky also examines how and why histories and memories are suppressed, and the impact of losing historical memory. Only by erasing history can we claim that Central American countries created their own poverty and violence, while the United States' enjoyment and profit from their bananas, coffee, mining, clothing, and export of arms are simply unrelated curiosities.

Aviva Chomsky (Author), Aida Reluzco (Narrator)

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Women, Race & Class: Penguin Modern Classics

Brought to you by Penguin. Ranging from the age of slavery to contemporary injustices, this groundbreaking history of race, gender and class inequality by the radical political activist Angela Davis offers an alternative view of female struggles for liberation. Tracing the intertwined histories of the abolitionist and women's suffrage movements, Davis examines the racism and class prejudice inherent in so much of white feminism, and in doing so brings to light new pioneering heroines, from field slaves to mill workers, who fought back and refused to accept the lives into which they were born. 'The power of her historical insights and the sweetness of her dream cannot be denied' The New York Times © Angela Y. Davis 1981 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Angela Y. Davis (Author), Natalie Simpson (Narrator)

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Global Jihad: A Brief History

Most violent jihadi movements in the twentieth century focused on removing corrupt, repressive secular regimes throughout the Muslim world. But following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, a new form of jihadism emerged-global jihad-turning to the international arena as the primary locus of ideology and action. With this book, Glenn E. Robinson develops a compelling and provocative argument about this violent political movement's evolution. Global Jihad tells the story of four distinct jihadi waves, each with its own program for achieving a global end: whether a Jihadi International to liberate Muslim lands from foreign occupation; al-Qa'ida's call to drive the United States out of the Muslim world; ISIS using 'jihadi cool' to recruit followers; or leaderless efforts of stochastic terror to 'keep the dream alive.' Robinson connects the rise of global jihad to other 'movements of rage' such as the Nazi Brownshirts, White supremacists, Khmer Rouge, and Boko Haram. Ultimately, he shows that while global jihad has posed a low strategic threat, it has instigated an outsized reaction from the United States and other Western nations.

Glenn E. Robinson (Author), David De Vries (Narrator)

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A Short History of Humanity: How Migration Made Us Who We Are

Brought to you by Penguin. Humanity has often found itself on the precipice. We've survived and thrived because we've never stopped moving... In this eye-opening book, Johannes Krause, Chair of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Humanity, offers a new way of understanding our past, present and future. Marshalling unique insights from archaeogenetics, an emerging new discipline that allows us to read our ancestors' DNA like journals chronicling personal stories of migration, Krause charts two millennia of adaption, movement and survival, culminating in the triumph of Homo Sapiens as we swept through Europe and beyond in successive waves of migration - developing everything from language, the patriarchy, disease, art and a love of pets as we did so. We also meet our ancestors, from those many of us have heard of - such as Homo Erectus and the Neanderthals - to the wildly unfamiliar but no less real: the recently discovered Denisovans, who ranged across Asia and, like humans, interbred with Neanderthals; the Aurignacians, skilled artists who, 40,000 years ago, brought about an extraordinary transformation in what our species could invent and create; the Varna, who buried their loved ones with gold long before the Pharaohs of Egypt did; and the Gravettians, big game hunters who were Europe's most successful early settlers until they perished in the face of the toughest opponent humanity had ever faced: the ice age. As well as being a radical new telling of our shared story, this book is a reminder that the global problems that keep us awake at night - climate catastrophe; the sudden emergence of deadly epidemics; refugee crises; ethnic conflict; over-population - are all things we've faced, and overcome, before. 'Stops you dead in your tracks ... An absolute revelation' Sue Black, bestselling author of All That Remains © Johannes Krause 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Johannes Krause, Thomas Trappe (Author), Stephen Graybill (Narrator)

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Slavery at Sea: Terror, Sex, and Sickness in the Middle Passage

Most times left solely within the confine of plantation narratives, slavery was far from a land-based phenomenon. This book reveals for the first time how it took critical shape at sea. Expanding the gaze even more widely, the book centers on how the oceanic transport of human cargoes-known as the infamous Middle Passage-comprised a violently regulated process foundational to the institution of bondage. Sowande' Mustakeem's groundbreaking study goes inside the Atlantic slave trade to explore the social conditions and human costs embedded in the world of maritime slavery. Mining ship logs, records, and personal documents, Mustakeem teases out the social histories produced between those on traveling ships: slaves, captains, sailors, and surgeons. As she shows, crewmen manufactured captives through enforced dependency, relentless cycles of physical, psychological terror, and pain that led to the making-and unmaking-of enslaved Africans held and transported onboard slave ships. Mustakeem relates how this process, and related power struggles, played out not just for adult men, but also for women, children, teens, infants, nursing mothers, the elderly, diseased, ailing, and dying.

Sowande' M Mustakeem, Sowande’ M Mustakeem (Author), Mia Ellis (Narrator)

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Marcados al nacer: La historia definitiva de las ideas racistas en Estados Unidos

EL MEJOR LIBRO PARA ENTENDER CÓMO SE INSTITUCIONALIZA EL RACISMO. GANADOR DEL NATIONAL BOOK AWARD DE NO FICCIÓN EN 2016 Tras la elección de Barack Obama, muchos declararon el inicio de una era postracial. Sin embargo, el pensamiento racista, más sofisticado e insidioso que nunca, sigue profundamente arraigado en la sociedad estadounidense. Tal y como argumenta Ibram X. Kendi-la voz más influyente de la lucha antirracista y uno de los referentes actuales del movimiento #BlackLivesMatter-,aunque las ideas racistas se desarrollan, difunden y consagran muy fácilmente, también se las puede desacreditar. Y esto es lo que se propone con Marcados al nacer, una obra maestra galardonada con el National Book Award que derriba la idea, muy asentada, de que el racismo es consecuencia directa de la ignorancia o el odio. En esta investigación histórica profundamente documentada, Kendi nos demuestra cómo en Estados Unidos las mentes más brillantes de diferentes épocas se han esforzado en crear y perpetuar instituciones racistas y un sistema basado en políticas discriminatorias, para luego generar ideas y actitudes racistas que justifiquen ex post facto la esclavitud y la segregación. Al hablar sin tapujos del racismo y de su turbia historia, este libro nos dota de las herramientas necesarias para desenmascararlo, y se convierte en una lectura indispensable en los tiempos que corren. La crítica ha dicho... «Dado el momento político que atravesamos, este libro debería estar en la estantería de todos los jóvenes que aspiran a cambiar el mundo. No es una lectura agradable, pero la verdad no siempre lo es.» Forbes «Absorbente e implacable.» The Washington Post «Una crónica profunda y a menudo inquietante.» The Atlantic «Una historia asombrosa historia, a la vez rigurosa y accesible.» The New Republic

Ibram X. Kendi (Author), Víctor Sabi (Narrator)

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Disaster Survival Guide: The Ultimate Life-Saving Manual To Survive Any Emergency

You Know How To Survive A Disaster? If the answer is 'NO,' then the Disaster Survival Handbook is a MUST-HAVE! This is a reference book on how to stay alive in man-made and natural disasters. Prepare yourself with the skills you need, because you never know when tragedy hits! If disaster strikes, the world changes. Everything we've come to rely on is in doubt, and we often find ourselves with only our wits to get us through. Chances are there will be anarchy in the streets, public services will be restricted if they do not exist, and former safe havens can suddenly become death traps. This helps everyone to learn and understand what is going on in a crisis and to take the right steps to ensure their own personal safety and that of those responsible for it. You will learn through the pages of this book: - What everybody needs to know about disasters - Basic disaster preparedness skills - How to pack a bug out bag - What you need in a first aid kit - How to learn what to do about the earthquake, the storm, the flood, the landslide, and so much more. With the wisdom found herein, you and your family will be able to venture out confidently knowing that you have the best weapon to protect yourself; your own imagination. Whether you're facing an earthquake, a storm, or a terrorist attack, we're going through the various steps you need to take in a variety of situations to ensure that you have the best chance of surviving a catastrophe.

David Burke (Author), Tom Fria (Narrator)

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The Psychology of Notorious Serial Killers: The Intersection of Personality Theory and the Darkest M

The science of personality theory has advanced dramatically in recent years clearing the way for this useful and edifying speculation about the inner workings of horrific serial killers. Applying personality theory to more than a dozen of the most notorious serial killers in modern history, the mystery surrounding their crimes begins to unravel. What drives them to commit horrific crimes? How does sexual desire fit into their motivation? Why do some stop killing while others escalate? What are the different types of serial killers based on personality theory? Contains mature themes.

Todd Grande Phd, Todd Grande, Ph.D., Todd Grande, Phd (Author), Charles Constant (Narrator)

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Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back: Dilemmas of the Modern Fan

Triumphant wins, gut-wrenching losses, last-second shots, underdogs, competition, and loyalty-it's fun to be a fan. But when a football player takes a hit to the head after yet another study has warned of the dangers of CTE, or when a team whose mascot was born in an era of racism and bigotry takes the field, or when a relief pitcher accused of domestic violence saves the game, how is one to cheer? Welcome to the club for sports fans who care too much. In Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back, acclaimed sports writers Jessica Luther and Kavitha A. Davidson tackle the most pressing issues in sports, why they matter, and how we can do better. For the authors, 'sticking to sports' is not an option-not when our taxes are paying for the stadiums, and college athletes aren't getting paid at all. But simply quitting a favorite team won't change corrupt and deplorable practices, and the root causes of many of these problems are endemic in our wider society. Essential for modern fans, Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back challenges the status quo and explores how we might begin to reconcile our conscience with our fandom.

Jessica Luther, Kavitha A. Davidson (Author), Machelle Williams (Narrator)

Audiobook

Social Science Audiobooks in Non-Fiction