Helen Plum Library

Restless Classics presents The Souls of Black Folk: W. E. B. Du Bois's seminal work of sociology, with searing insights into our complex, corrosive relationship with race and the African-American consciousness. Reconsidered for the era of Obama, Trump, and Black Lives Matter, the new edition includes an incisive introduction from rising cultural critic Vann R. Newkirk II and stunning illustrations by the artist Steve Prince. Published in 1903, exactly...

This classic of the Jewish-American immigrant experience was an instant critical and popular success upon its 1912 publication. Author Mary Antin arrived in the United States from Russia in the 1890s at the age of 12. Her memoir vividly recaptures scenes from both Old and New World cultures, chronicling the poverty and oppression of Czarist Russia as well as the excitement and challenges of her assimilation into American life at the turn of the twentieth...

Frederick Douglass was born a slave, he escaped a brutal system, and through sheer force of will educated himself and became an abolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman, and reformer. This three-in-one omnibus edition of Frederick Douglass autobiographies provides the quintessential narrative of his life. 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass' is one of the most influential autobiographies ever written. This classic did as much as or...

Learn about American Indian tradition and the important part it has on American culture. This nonfiction book shows how American Indian changemakers work to preserve their cultures and promote fairness. The book includes a short fiction piece related to the topic, a glossary, a meaningful activity, and other great tools. Students will learn about and appreciate the dedication of American Indian leaders. This 32-page full-color book explains the important...

In 1981, L'Anse Sentinel publisher Ed Danner unleashed the madness when he invited a rookie reporter from Chicago's South Side to work for his Upper Michigan weekly newspaper. Nancy Besonen's Off The Hook is a collection of humor columns she successfully slipped by her editor over a 30-year reporting career. However, there were still a few very silly things left unsaid. Her second and final installment, Off the Hook Too!, keeps the laughter alive...

High on the Vine features cousins Tami & Evi Maki, who often contemplate the shortcomings of their respective spouses, Toivo and Eino. The story is told through a series of short stories set in Upper Michigan. The Maki women contemplate how their lives may have fared (certainly better) had they not married the two louts. After a hideous winter survival weekend sponsored by the Maki men, Tami & Evi take over the boys' hunting camp as punishment. After...

Back in 1981, publisher Ed Danner took a chance, hiring Nancy Besonen, a rookie reporter from Chicago's South Side, for his weekly newspaper, the L'Anse Sentinel. Her humor column, "Off the Hook," was ostensibly all about fishing, but she quickly cut loose, writing about anything relevant to life, especially in the Michigan's Upper Peninsula, as long as it made her readers smile. There's something for everyone with a strong sense of the ridiculous:...

Still confused about what ghetto is...and what ghetto ain't? You know you're still ghetto if: -You're looking for a brother or sister who will pay your rent -You think you had a great workout because you shouted in church -You always eat before you go to a dinner party because "you never know what them people go" -You know what H.I.B. stands for (Hair I Bought) -You live on an island but you can't swim -You fish in the city Remember: Ghetto...

Henry Ossian Flipper (21 March 1856 - 3 May 1940) was an American soldier, former slave, and the first African American to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1877, earning a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army.

Bestselling Author of We're Just Like You, Only Prettier and Bless Your Heart, Tramp Hang on to your hats! We're in for some fiercely funny weather and crackling-sharp observations from Celia Rivenbark, of whom USA Today has said, "Think Dave Barry with a female point of view." With her incomparable style and sassy southern wit, you'll hear from Celia on: --The joys of remodeling Tara --How Harry Potter bitch-slaps Nancy Drew --Britney's To-Do...