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Zine / pamphlet. Published by Microcosm! Joe Biel strives to find logic, purpose, and meaning in his existence once again. This issue is about friends having accidental babies by the boatload and his resulting vasectomy to prevent himself from befalling the same fate. Plenty of details about seeking out a vasectomy, the actual surgery, and the reasons why. It's probing and personal and has the usual slice of life reality. Also includes roommate reviews supplement #4 covering the period of 2001 living at the Onramp.

By: Marjane Satrapi (Author), 2004, Paperback

By: Marjane Satrapi (Author), 2004, Paperback

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s acclaimed graphic memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.

“A wholly original achievement.... Satrapi evokes herself and her schoolmates coming of age in a world of protests and disappearances.... A stark, shocking impact.” —The New York Times: "The 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years"

One of the New York Times’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century

In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the coming-of-age story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.

"To link socialism and lesbianism is to link the unpopular with the taboo"

Though the interpretations of the interplay between sexism and capitalism, between the personal and the political, vary across this spectacularly wide ranging collection, each essay shares two fundamental premises. First, that the oppression of gays and lesbians is not an isolated case, and therefore their struggle is necessarily part of a larger movement for social liberation. And second, that the experience of gays and lesbians uphold the basic tenants of a foundational marxism, and that they are uniquely placed to contribute to a revitalization of marxist theory.

From the world’s leading economics podcast comes an irresistible guide to the hidden world of everyday economics.

Hello, and welcome to Planet Money! Millions of listeners trust the world’s leading economics podcast to explain the mysterious inner workings of the global economy and the forces that affect nearly every decision we make. Through expert research and delightful stories the Planet Money hosts help everyone see the world like an economist.

For their first-ever book, longtime contributor Alex Mayyasi and the hosts of NPR's Planet Money present brand new stories and insights gathered from more than a decade of reporting that reveal ways AI might help you or replace you, demystify dating markets, and show how pro sports’ "dumbest" contract holds the secret to building wealth. Taking readers on adventures to a smartphone factory in Patagonia, a raisin cartel in California, and an Indigenous reserve in Canada that might just have a solution for the housing crisis, Planet Money shows how economics shapes our world, and how we can harness key principles to make our own lives a little richer.

100 full-color illustrations

By: Jessica Fern (Author), 2023, Paperback

As polyamory continues to make its way into the mainstream, more and more people are exploring consensual nonmonogamy in the hope of experiencing more love, connection, sex, freedom and support. While for many, the move expands personal horizons, for others, the transition can be challenging, leaving them blindsided and overwhelmed. Beyond the initial transition to nonmonogamy, many struggle with the root issues beneath the symptoms of broken agreements, communication challenges, increased fighting and persistent jealousy. Polyamorous psychotherapist Jessica Fern and restorative justice facilitator David Cooley share the insights they have gained through thousands of hours working with clients in consensually nonmonogamous relationships. Using a grounded theory approach, they explore the underlying challenges that nonmonogamous individuals and partners can experience after their first steps, offering practical strategies for transforming them into opportunities for new levels of clarity and intimacy. Polywise provides both the conceptual framework to better understand the shift from monogamy to nonmonogamy and the tools to navigate the next steps.

A magnificent cultural biography that charts the life of one of our greatest writers, situating her alongside the key historical and social moments that shaped her work. 

As the first Black woman to consistently write and publish in the field of science fiction, Octavia Butler was a trailblazer. With her deft pen, she created stories speculating the devolution of the American empire, using it as an apt metaphor for the best and worst of humanity—our innovation and ingenuity, our naked greed and ambition, our propensity for violence and hierarchy. Her fiction charts the rise and fall of the American project—the nation’s transformation from a provincial backwater to a capitalist juggernaut—made possible by chattel slavery—to a bloated imperialist superpower on the verge of implosion. 

In this outstanding work, Susana M. Morris places Butler’s story firmly within the cultural, social, and historical context that shaped her life: the Civil Rights Movement, Black Power, women’s liberation, queer rights, Reaganomics. Morris reveals how these influences profoundly impacted Butler’s personal and intellectual trajectory and shaped the ideas central to her writing. Her cautionary tales warn us about succumbing to fascism, gender-based violence, and climate chaos while offering alternate paradigms to religion, family, and understanding our relationships to ourselves. Butler envisioned futures with Black women at the center, raising our awareness of how those who are often dismissed have the knowledge to shift the landscape of our world. But her characters are no magical martyrs, they are tough, flawed, intelligent, and complicated, a reflection of Butler’s stories. 

Morris explains what drove Butler: She wrote because she felt she must. “Who was I anyway? Why should anyone pay attention to what I had to say? Did I have anything to say? I was writing science fiction and fantasy, for God’s sake. At that time nearly all professional science-fiction writers were white men. As much as I loved science fiction and fantasy, what was I doing? Well, whatever it was, I couldn’t stop. Positive obsession is about not being able to stop just because you’re afraid and full of doubts. Positive obsession is dangerous. It’s about not being able to stop at all.”

You may not realise it, but you are probably already practicing anarchism in your daily life. From relationships to school, work, art, even the way you organise your time, anarchism can help you find fulfilment, empathy and liberation in the everyday.

From the small questions such as 'Why should I steal?' to the big ones like 'how do I love?', Shuli Branson shows that anarchism isn’t only something we do when we react to the news, protest or even riot. With practical examples enriched by history and theory, these tips will empower you to break free from the consumerist trappings of our world.

Anarchism is not just for white men, but for everyone. In reading this book, you can detach from patriarchal masculinity, norms of family, gender, sexuality, racialisation, individual responsibility and the destruction of our planet, and replace them with ideas of sustainable living, with ties of mutual aid, and the horizon of collective liberation.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Rachel Maddow traces the fight to preserve American democracy back to World War II, when a handful of committed public servants and brave private citizens thwarted far-right plotters trying to steer our nation toward an alliance with the Nazis.
 
“A ripping read—well rendered, fast-paced and delivered with the same punch and assurance that she brings to a broadcast. . . . The parallels to the present day are strong, even startling.”—The New York Times (Editors’ Choice)

Inspired by her research for the hit podcast Ultra, Rachel Maddow charts the rise of a wild American strain of authoritarianism that has been alive on the far-right edge of our politics for the better part of a century. Before and even after our troops had begun fighting abroad in World War II, a clandestine network flooded the country with disinformation aimed at sapping the strength of the U.S. war effort and persuading Americans that our natural alliance was with the Axis, not against it. It was a sophisticated and shockingly well-funded campaign to undermine democratic institutions, promote antisemitism, and destroy citizens’ confidence in their elected leaders, with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the U.S. government and installing authoritarian rule.
 
That effort worked—tongue and groove—alongside an ultra-right paramilitary movement that stockpiled bombs and weapons and trained for mass murder and violent insurrection.
 
At the same time, a handful of extraordinary activists and journalists were tracking the scheme, exposing it even as it was unfolding. In 1941 the U.S. Department of Justice finally made a frontal attack, identifying the key plotters, finding their backers, and prosecuting dozens in federal court.
 
None of it went as planned.
 
While the scheme has been remembered in history—if at all—as the work of fringe players, in reality it involved a large number of some of the country’s most influential elected officials. Their interference in law enforcement efforts against the plot is a dark story of the rule of law bending and then breaking under the weight of political intimidation.
 
That failure of the legal system had consequences. The tentacles of that unslain beast have reached forward into our history for decades. But the heroic efforts of the activists, journalists, prosecutors, and regular citizens who sought to expose the insurrectionists also make for a deeply resonant, deeply relevant tale in our own disquieting times.

Every day, people face discrimination because of their sexuality and gender identity. The people between these pages have stood up for the queer community, whether on their own behalf or in support of people they love. Some made a difference by confronting injustice; others dared to be fully themselves.

Susan Ursel fought all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada for the right to have books with queer characters in schools. Sparkle Wilson runs an internship program for LGBTQ+ youth in San Francisco that helps them build skills and grow their confidence. Itzayana Gutiérrez Arillo discovered the joy and global community of queer tango. Their stories prove that we can all make the world a little safer, kinder, and more inclusive.

Both deeply personal and global in scope, Pride and Prejudices presents the life story of international human rights lawyer Keio Yoshida alongside an urgent, engaging overview of the state of LGBTQ+ rights worldwide.

Keio Yoshida came of age in socially conservative Ireland, where homosexuality was criminalized until 1993. Experiencing discrimination and stigma, Yoshida lived a closeted existence, pressured by their loved ones and by larger society to self-censor and hide their true desires and gender expression until they left the country after college.

Intimate and engaging, Pride and Prejudices pairs Yoshida’s story―from coming out as a lesbian, becoming a trailblazing human rights advocate, to later becoming a nonbinary transmasculine rainbow parent―with a treatise on the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights around the globe. Fascinating examples of landmark case law are covered from the US, Sri Lanka, the UK, India, and more―from Oscar Wilde’s trial in 1895 to Obergefell v Hodges, from “Don’t Say Gay” to Bostock v Clayton County, from Rosanna Flamer Caldera v Sri Lanka to the “gay cake” case.

By weaving together personal history and legal analysis, Yoshida illustrates the devastating consequences of discrimination and criminalization on queer and trans lives, and the importance of stronger legal protections.

Today, as we see increased hostility toward queer and trans communities in the US, Pride and Prejudices offers a hopeful vision of the future―one filled with queer joy and love and liberation―where each of us has the freedom to live our lives authentically, on our own terms.

This brighter and more just world is possible, Yoshida argues, but we must keep fighting for it.

This guide is for young people aged 11+ to introduce them to the power of Pride and the LGBTQIA+ community

Pride has different meanings for different people. It can be about protesting for equal rights for everyone, a celebration of our differences and identities, and a way of finding your tribe and a supportive community that values you and accepts you wholeheartedly.

Pride Power! is a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community and will help you to navigate pronouns and key terms, learn about the fascinating history of Pride and modern queer culture, highlighting game-changers and unsung heroes alike, from Marsha P. Johnson to Nick and Charlie in Heartstopper.

Inside you will:

·       See what Pride is and why people celebrate it

·       Learn about the game-changers in the LGBTQIA+ community

·       Follow the essential timeline of queer world history

·       Discover classic works of queer art, literature, music, TV and film

·       See how you can be an advocate for Pride and everything it stands for

 The future isn’t binary but it’s definitely exciting!

A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read

A compelling and accessible new perspective on the modern science of psychology, based on one of Yale’s most popular courses of all time

How does the brain—a three-pound wrinkly mass—give rise to intelligence and conscious experience? Was Freud right that we are all plagued by forbidden sexual desires? What is the function of emotions such as disgust, gratitude, and shame? Renowned psychologist Paul Bloom answers these questions and many more in Psych, his riveting new book about the science of the mind.

Psych is an expert and passionate guide to the most intimate aspects of our nature, serving up the equivalent of a serious university course while being funny, engaging, and full of memorable anecdotes. But Psych is much more than a comprehensive overview of the field of psychology. Bloom reveals what psychology can tell us about the most pressing moral and political issues of our time—including belief in conspiracy theories, the role of genes in explaining human differences, and the nature of prejudice and hatred.

Bloom also shows how psychology can give us practical insights into important issues—from the treatment of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety to the best way to lead happy and fulfilling lives. Psych is an engrossing guide to the most important topic there is: it is the story of us.