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Since the 1970s, romance novels have surpassed all other genres in terms of popularity in the United States, accounting for half of all mass market paperbacks sold and driving the digital publishing revolution. Romance Fiction and American Culture brings together scholars from the humanities, social sciences, and publishing to explore American romance fiction from the late eighteenth to the early twenty-first century. Essays on interracial, inspirational, and LGBTQ romance attend to the diversity of the genre, while new areas of inquiry are suggested in contextual and interdisciplinary examinations of romance authorship, readership, and publishing history, of pleasure and respectability in African American romance fiction, and of the dynamic tension between the genre and second wave feminism. As it situates romance fiction among other instances of American love culture, from Civil War diaries to Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks, Romance Fiction and American Culture confirms the complexity and enduring importance of this most contested of genres.

Don’t miss the JOE PICKETT series—now streaming on Paramount+ The Red Desert of Wyoming is a beautiful and punishing place for anybody, even for game warden Joe Pickett and his friend Nate Romanowski in this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller... Nate is off the grid, recuperating from wounds and trying to deal with past crimes, when he is suddenly surrounded by a small team of elite professional special operators. They’re not there to threaten him, but to make a deal. They need help destroying a domestic terror cell in Wyoming’s Red Desert, and in return they’ll make Nate’s criminal record disappear. But they are not what they seem, as Nate’s friend Joe Pickett discovers. They have a much different plan in mind, and it just might be something that takes them all down—including Nate and Joe.

"Post-World War II mass migration to Great Britain altered its demographic composition more markedly than in any other period in its history, resulting in a modern multicultural nation state shaped by the ethnic diversity of its citizenry. Populations from African, Caribbean, and South Asian locations arriving in Britain post-war brought diasporic sensibilities and literary heritages that have profoundly transformed British national culture, leading to a more complex and inclusive sense of its past. The Companion to British Black and Asian Literature (1945-2010) examines the creative impact of this rich infusion upon English literature against the backdrop of the seismic social and economic changes triggered by colonialism and migration, multiculturalism, and contemporary globalization"--

Soon to be a TV series! Enter “an exciting and dynamic new world of storytelling in which spirituality and science are inextricably entwined” (Deepak Chopra) with this boxed set of the engaging, whip-smart, and witty Ravi PI series. In Her Nightly Embrace, Ravi Chandra Singh is the last guy you’d expect to become a private detective. A failed religious scholar, he now works for Golden Sentinels, an upmarket London private investigations agency. His colleagues are a band of gleefully amoral and brilliant screw-ups and together, they are hired to solve the problems of some of the most powerful people in town. But Ravi is in over his head with increasingly gonzo and complex cases—and the recent visions that he’s been having of Hindu gods aren’t helping. As Ravi struggles to stay ahead of danger, he wonders if he’s delusional—or if he might, in fact, be an unrecognized shaman of the modern world. Her Beautiful Monster continues the vivid series with Ravi’s colleagues at Golden Sentinels discovering that he sees gods in moments of heightened anxiety and stress. They are all surprisingly fine with it and even encourage him to incorporate his visions into his work, especially now that the cases have become more intense. But their latest case—a search for a dead Russian oligarch’s last will and testament—leads to more than anyone expected: a missing heir, murderous relatives, and geopolitical implications. So, when Ravi’s boss sends him to Los Angeles to wait out the heat, it’s almost a relief…until Ravi’s past catches up to him. Finally, in Her Fugitive Heart, Ravi simply desires to marry his girlfriend in peace, but events conspire to keep things anything but peaceful. An actress hires the agency to track down the source of a sex tape she never made, yet still appeared in. A weekend party in a deceased rock star’s country mansion where the investigators are charged with surveilling the rich guests for dirt goes way out of control. A terrorist leader goes missing in London before he can turn himself in to the CIA and the agency is hired to help track him down. And finally, Ravi’s boss’s secret plans to make himself a major player in the world stage blows up in his face and Ravi must go into hiding. The future of the Golden Sentinels and Ravi hang in the balance in the gripping and unforgettable conclusion to the Ravi PI series.

The first in a trilogy of whip-smart novels—currently in development as a TV series set to star Sendhil Ramamurthy (NBC’s Heroes and Heroes Reborn)—about a destructive private investigator and his eccentric coworkers, who handle cases so high-profile that they never make the headlines. Ravi Chandra Singh is the last guy you’d expect to become a private detective. A failed religious scholar, he now works for Golden Sentinels, an upmarket London private investigations agency. His colleagues are a band of gleefully amoral and brilliant screw-ups: Ken and Clive, a pair of brutal ex-cops who are also a gay couple; Mark Chapman, a burned-out stoner hiding a great mind; Marcie Holder, a cheerful former publicist; Benjamin Lee, a techie prankster from South London; David Okri, an ambitious lawyer from a well-connected Nigerian immigrant family; and Olivia Wong, an upper-class Hong Kong financial analyst hiding her true skills as one of the most dangerous hackers in the world—all under the watchful eye of Roger Golden, wheeler-dealer extraordinaire, and his mysterious office manager, Cheryl Hughes. Thrust into a world where the rich, famous, and powerful hire him to solve their problems and wash their dirty laundry, Ravi finds himself in over his head with increasingly gonzo and complex cases – and the recent visions that he’s been having of Hindu gods aren’t helping. As Ravi struggles to stay ahead of danger, he wonders if the things he’s seeing are a delusion – or if he might, in fact, be an unrecognized shaman of the modern world...

Women, queer and trans-spectrum throughout the world are still economically, politically and socially marginalized. This books seeks to understand gender in the 21st century. It explains in depth the background of gender according to different traditional perspective roles, challenges faced by gender and an understanding of Gender in the current generation of 21st Century. This book makes essential reading for all those interested in the intersections of class, education, social work in the 21st century. Students and researchers of sociology, women studies and education will find this book invaluable.

Dive into a world of diverse stories, experiences, and emotions with "LGBTQ+ Fiction and Literature." This captivating anthology celebrates the rich tapestry of LGBTQ+ voices, offering a kaleidoscope of narratives that reflect the unique journeys, challenges, and triumphs of the queer community. From heartwarming romances to thought-provoking literary fiction, this collection explores the entire spectrum of human emotion and connection. Within the pages of this remarkable book, you'll encounter characters who love, struggle, dream, and defy societal norms. The stories range from tender coming-of-age tales to bold explorations of identity, all while providing a deeper understanding of the LGBTQ+ experience. Each author in this anthology brings their distinctive style and perspective to the table, making "LGBTQ+ Fiction and Literature" a book that resonates with readers of all backgrounds. Whether you're a member of the LGBTQ+ community, an ally, or simply a lover of powerful storytelling, this collection will move and inspire you. Discover the beauty and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community through the art of storytelling. Embrace the power of representation, empathy, and the universality of love and acceptance. "LGBTQ+ Fiction and Literature" is not just a book; it's a testament to the strength and beauty of diversity and a reminder that our shared humanity transcends all boundaries. Join us on this literary journey, celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and be moved by the voices that deserve to be heard. Get your copy of "LGBTQ+ Fiction and Literature" today and be part of a world that's more inclusive, understanding, and filled with love.

What is happening in Poland? Where is Poland heading? Is Polish society as divided as it is often perceived? How did we get there? What do anti-pluralist tendencies and a gender-backlash mean for the everyday life in Poland? What are possible ways to cope with this? And what are the consequences for Europe? This anthology is the result of a conference which took place in Vienna in April 2018 and offers some insight into debates taking place in and around Poland today. The contributions are very different in expression and stand for themselves. In this respect, the book offers impressions, but no "solutions". It offers suggestions to reflect on Poland in a new or different way, which help to understand Poland and the complex social and political processes that are currently underway.

A pioneering collection of essays which give a sample of some of the most interesting work being done on the lesbian and gay movements in various third world countries including Brazil, Mexico, Kenya, India and China. The eleven essays are edited by Peter Drucker, a well-respected academic in the field of gay and lesbian studies. Contributors include Dennis Altman, Margaret Randall and Mark Gevisser.

Images, representations and constructions of mothers have historically shaped and continue to shape the way we imagine the institution of motherhood and the experience of mothering. The various contributions included in this volume consider the diversity of maternal images and narratives that circulate in literature, the arts and popular culture and analyse how they reflect on and influence the cultural meaning of motherhood in the contemporary era. Mindful of the fact that the images of motherhood that we see in popular media, on television, and in literature are not mere background noise to our daily lives, the various chapters explore how they influence our understanding of what it means to be a mother, affect our expectations of motherhood and of mothers, frame our experience of mothering, and even inform our reproductive decisions. Including insights from media studies, cultural studies, literary studies, and the performing and visual arts, this book explores how engaging with diverse representations of mothers and mothering contributes to a broader and deeper interdisciplinary understanding of how motherhood is constructed in our time. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the journal Women: A Cultural Review.