Tag: new books

Discipline, Resilience, Leadership: A Review of ‘The Black Belt in Leadership’

Leading like a black belt – how martial arts principles can shape modern leaders. Photo: Barnes & Noble

📚Book Review: The Black Belt in Leadership: 20 Tested Lessons from the Dojo to the Boardroom

In The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva bridges the worlds of martial arts and corporate leadership with clarity, humility, and practical wisdom. Drawing on his experience as both a world champion martial artist and a two-time multinational CEO, de Silva distills twenty lessons that are just as relevant on the dojo floor as they are in the boardroom.

This book isn’t another collection of recycled business strategies. Instead, de Silva uses martial arts philosophy—discipline, resilience, respect, and continuous learning—to highlight the mindset shifts leaders need to thrive. His stories are engaging and vivid, showing how timeless principles of training, focus, and humility can shape how we manage teams, make decisions under pressure, and build trust.

🥋What’s Inside

  • Part I: The Dojo of Discipline
  • Part II: The Mindset of a Master
  • Part III: The Inner Fight
  • Part IV: The Path Forward

Each section builds on the idea that leadership is not about control but about character, self-awareness, and the ability to stay centered when everything around you feels unstable.

💡Key Highlights

Lesson 4: Progress Over Perfection – The Coachable Leader’s Advantage

True leadership isn’t about being perfect—it’s about embracing progress. De Silva admits that when he first started in sales, he lacked experience. But as a martial artist, he was coachable, open to feedback, and resilient in the face of correction.

“Martial arts taught me that the moment you think you’re untouchable, someone finds your opening.”

Lesson 5: Leading Through Contradiction in a World That Does Not Make Sense

Leadership means constant change. Success is temporary, and you won’t win every time. What matters most is staying true to your values without hiding behind them as excuses.

“I’ve always done it this way” should never be a reason to stop learning and growing.

Why You Should Read It

The lessons in this book are grounded in lived experience and paired with actionable takeaways. Most chapters end with reflection questions, making it easy to apply insights directly to your life and leadership journey. The conversational tone and straightforward language make it an accessible, inspiring read for anyone—executives, managers, or individuals simply striving to grow.

De Silva reminds us that leadership is less about appearing strong and more about staying centered when the world shakes. Most importantly, the finest leaders are not always the smartest—they’re the ones trained to lead under pressure.

So step into the dojo and pick up your copy of The Black Belt in Leadership. It’s an ultimate guide to leading with power, presence, and principle.

“You do not need a martial arts background to lead like a black belt. But if you want to move with clarity, resilience, and presence—especially under pressure—you need to train like one.”

Rating: 4 out of 5.

*Thank you to Aslak de Silva for the gifted copy for review consideration. I have not been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

A Story Between Survival, Hope, and Reckoning: ‘Israel: A Personal History’

In ‘Israel,’ Göran Rosenberg, son of Holocaust survivors grapples with the dream of Zionism and its consequences. Photo: Other Press

Book Spotlight: Israel: A Personal History by Göran Rosenberg

On Sale: October 7, 2025 | Published by Other Press

Combining poignant memoir and historical research, Israel: A Personal History tells the story of a son of Holocaust survivors grappling with the dream of Zionism and its consequences. Originally published in Swedish, this highly acclaimed book will be available in English this fall. (Other Press, 2025)

Where the Story Begins

Israel picks up where Göran Rosenberg’s internationally acclaimed and award-winning childhood memoir, A Brief Stop on the Road From Auschwitz, leaves off.

After his father’s suicide in 1960 in a small industrial town in Sweden, Rosenberg’s mother emigrates with her two children to Israel. At first, young Göran is swept into the world of pioneer Zionism—enchanted by its ideals, visions, and ethos. But as he grows, his journey becomes one of uncovering betrayed ideals, buried stories, false promises, and erased villages.

A Personal and Political Exploration

The result is a work that is both deeply personal and meticulously researched. Rosenberg explores the contradictory visions that shaped the Zionist project, alongside the ethnic violence, oppression, discrimination, and dispossession that followed in its realization.

Part memoir, part history of ideas, Israel is also the political autobiography of a Jewish European intellectual—“a child of dreams and disillusionments, an astute observer of our times.”

About the Author

Göran Rosenberg was born in 1948 in Sweden, the son of Auschwitz survivors. He is the author of several books, including:

  • Det förlorade landet (Israel: A Personal History in Swedish)
  • A Brief Stop on the Road From Auschwitz (Other Press, 2015)
  • Another Zionism, Another Judaism (Other Press, 2025)

📚 Recognized by Publishers Weekly: Israel: A Personal History was longlisted in Publishers Weekly’s Fall 2025 Fiction & Nonfiction Preview: History.

1759836894

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

‘Israel: A Personal History’ release date

‘The Shape of Wonder’: Lightman and Rees on the Human Side of Science

Unveiling ‘The Shape of Wonder,’ a journey into the lives of scientists by Alan Lightman and Martin Rees. Photo: Penguin Random House

Book Announcement: The Shape of Wonder by Alan Lightman and Martin Rees

Pantheon Books is proud to announce the upcoming release of The Shape of Wonder: How Scientists Think, Work, and Live, a captivating exploration of the scientific world by renowned physicists Alan Lightman and Martin Rees. Scheduled for release on September 2, 2025, this insightful book promises to demystify the scientific process and humanize the brilliant minds behind groundbreaking discoveries. (Penguin Random House, 2025)

Why This Book Matters

In an age of rapid scientific discovery and technological advancement, it’s understandable that many feel uneasy about the future. While we might place our trust in science when boarding an airplane, undergoing a medical procedure, or stepping into an elevator, the lives and motivations of scientists themselves often feel hidden from view.

This distance has bred a troubling mistrust. Concerns about political agendas, financial interests, or institutional ties have caused skepticism toward science at a time when trust is most crucial.

With the challenges of climate change, pandemics, nuclear threats, artificial intelligence, and genetic engineering, understanding science—and those who shape it—has never been more urgent.

Inside The Shape of Wonder

Lightman and Rees take readers inside the minds and lives of scientists across generations and disciplines:

  • A young theoretical physicist and rock climber at the University of Washington.
  • Werner Heisenberg, whose early interests in music and philosophy shaped his path to physics.
  • Govind Swarup, the pioneering Indian astronomer whose work on radio telescopes transformed astronomy.

Through these stories, readers glimpse the passions, daily lives, and ethical concerns of scientists—revealing that they, too, are guided by curiosity, wonder, and responsibility toward the future.

A Manifesto for Science

More than biography, The Shape of Wonder is a manifesto calling for a deeper appreciation of scientific inquiry and its ethical responsibilities. Featuring figures such as Charles Darwin, Barbara McClintock, and Werner Heisenberg, the book presents science as a deeply human endeavor—one that depends on trust, curiosity, and imagination.

Meet the Authors

  • Alan Lightman is a physicist, essayist, and bestselling author of Einstein’s Dreams. He has taught at Harvard and MIT and hosts the PBS series Searching: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science.
  • Martin Rees, the UK’s Astronomer Royal, is a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, former President of the Royal Society, and co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risks at Cambridge University.

Together, they bring unparalleled insight and perspective to this vital book.

Who Should Read This Book?

The Shape of Wonder is ideal for readers who enjoyed Edward O. Wilson’s Letters to a Young Scientist, as well as anyone fascinated by:

  • Astronomy & physics
  • The natural world
  • Lives of great scientific thinkers
  • The human side of discovery

Release Details

📖 The Shape of Wonder: How Scientists Think, Work, and Live
✍️ By Alan Lightman & Martin Rees
📅 Release Date: September 2, 2025
📚 Publisher: Pantheon Books

✨ This book is a timely, inspiring call to see science not as something distant or abstract, but as a profoundly human pursuit—driven by the same curiosity and wonder that shapes us all.

1756811516

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

‘The Shape of Wonder’ release date

The Art of Failing Forward: Lessons from Dr. S. Irfan Ali’s Unconventional Journey

The power of failure and how it fuels success. ‘Fractured but Fearless’ is the inspiring new book by S. Irfan Ali, MD. Photo: Barnes & Noble

Fractured but Fearless: The Art of Failing Forward with Dr. S. Irfan Ali

We live in a culture that celebrates success stories—highlight reels of achievement, brilliance, and arrival. But too often, we overlook the how behind the journey. According to Dr. S. Irfan Ali, that’s just human nature. In our rush to applaud the victors, we forget the losses, the missteps, and the quiet resilience that fueled the climb. (The Authority Company, 2025)

Dr. Ali knows this journey intimately. A physician, CEO of multiple healthcare companies, nonprofit founder, artist, and photographer, his path has been anything but linear. In his new book, Fractured but Fearless: Embracing the Art of Failing Forward, Dr. Ali reflects on the failures that shaped him—and how they ultimately propelled him forward.

Drawing from a rich personal and professional background, including his immigrant experience bridging East and West, Dr. Ali shares candid stories—many of them humorous—from his early days as a medical hopeful in a new country, working the most humbling jobs while chasing big dreams.

Witty, honest, and deeply inspiring, Fractured but Fearless is more than a memoir. It’s a compelling blend of life stories, leadership lessons, and visual artistry. Each chapter reads like a standalone essay, yet together they form a cohesive roadmap for aspiring leaders, entrepreneurs, and healthcare professionals alike. The book is also visually stunning, featuring Dr. Ali’s original photography and artwork, elevating the reading experience into one of both intellectual and artistic inspiration.

At its heart, this book is a tribute to the growth found in adversity—and to the quiet, often overlooked art of failing forward.

Key Takeaways from Fractured but Fearless:

  • Setbacks can become stepping stones to personal growth, emotional intelligence, and lasting impact.
  • Resilience isn’t born—it’s built through reflection, support, and repeated encounters with adversity.
  • Mental health care is broken. Systemic change and personal awareness are both essential.
  • Innovation thrives through unconventional thinking and trusting your instincts.
  • Career success means little without personal fulfillment and meaningful relationships.

About the Author

S. Irfan Ali, M.D. is a board-certified physician and co-founder, president, and CEO of Pioneer Medical Group, a leading hospitalist organization in Florida. He also founded Pioneer Medical Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to serving the homeless.

Dr. Ali earned his medical degree from the University of Karachi in Pakistan and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Massachusetts. He later received a fellowship from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School and completed a leadership fellowship in hospital medicine at AdventHealth/CTI.

Whether through his medical work, nonprofit leadership, or art, Dr. Ali continues to embody the ethos at the heart of Fractured but Fearless: that within every failure lies the blueprint for greatness.

When Time Splinters: Magic, Myth, and Mystery in ‘Excavating Fate’

‘Excavating Fate’ is the exciting new action adventure novel by Andrea Franco-Cook. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Excavating Fate: A Novel by Andrea Franco-Cook

Where archaeology meets destiny, and one young woman must choose between home and the fate of the multiverse.

The story begins with nineteen-year-old Amara Kalogridas working among the ruins of Carthage in North Africa. Under the supervision of her father, Dr. Andras Kalogridas, a renowned archaeologist, Amara works alongside her brother Greg and fellow intern Sophie. During an excavation, she uncovers a gravestone belonging to Adones Barca—a soldier lost in battle and the adopted son of Hannibal Barca.

Together with Dr. Jasim Hamad, curator of the Credo Museum, the team ventures into a burial chamber to explore further. It begins as a promising discovery but quickly descends into chaos. A mysterious artifact transports Amara into an alternate, magical version of ancient Carthage.

A World of Magic and Myth

In this ancient realm of warring factions and mythical beings, Amara’s only hope of returning home lies with Jan-Ib-Jann, the king of the djinn. He offers her a chance to return—if she completes a dangerous mission that could rewrite history. But he warns: the timeline she returns to might not be the one she left.

As Amara uncovers Jan’s true motives, she must grapple with an impossible choice—protect her loved ones or risk everything to preserve the fragile balance of all realities.

“Adones had been the only constant since I arrived here, the life raft that kept me from drowning in a sea of fear and uncertainty.”

A Spellbinding Fusion of History and Fantasy

Andrea Franco-Cook’s Excavating Fate is a vivid blend of historical fiction, mythology, and coming-of-age adventure. Amara is a compelling heroine—driven, ambitious, and fiercely loyal to her family. Her dream internship quickly becomes a high-stakes journey of survival and self-discovery.

Franco-Cook’s vision of Carthage is richly imagined—alive with political intrigue, magical realism, and cultural depth. Told in first-person through Amara’s eyes, the story explores power, fate, and identity, as she forges uneasy alliances and confronts ancient gods.

“My shallow breaths were the only sounds cutting the silence as I considered who I should trust. I had become a pawn in an imperial war between father and son.”

Final Thoughts

Excavating Fate is ultimately a story of transformation—of people, timelines, and self. With lyrical prose, immersive world-building, and a fast-paced plot layered with mystery, romance, and meaning, Franco-Cook delivers a captivating read.

Perfect for fans of time-slip fantasies, myth-infused history, and courageous heroines who fight not just for survival—but for the truth.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

*Thank you to the author for the gifted ARC for review consideration. I have not been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

“Excavating Fate” will be released on November 1, 2025 and is available for pre-order.

1761997874

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

‘Excavating Fate’ release date

Colonial Echoes in a Modern World: Edwy Plenel’s Urgent Wake-Up Call

‘The Garden and the Jungle’ by award-winning French journalist Edwy Plenel. Photo: Other Press.

Coming September 9, 2025

The Garden and the Jungle: How the West Sees the World

By Edwy Plenel • Translated by Luke Leafgren

From renowned journalist and essayist Edwy Plenel—former Editorial Director of Le Monde and cofounder of the investigative platform Mediapart—comes a searing and timely critique of Europe’s moral and political failures. The Garden and the Jungle: How the West Sees the World explores how the West, in clinging to myths of superiority and civility, betrays the very values it claims to uphold. It is available for pre-order. (Other Press, 2025)

In the tradition of Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism, Noam Chomsky’s Illegitimate Authority, and Louisa Lim’s Indelible City, Plenel offers a provocative examination of Western power, politics, and perception in an increasingly unstable world.

At the heart of the book is a statement made in 2022 by Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat:

“Europe is a garden… Most of the rest of the world is a jungle, and the jungle could invade the garden.”

This worldview, rooted in colonial arrogance, reveals a Europe that still sees itself as the guardian of civilization—under siege by an unruly, dangerous “outside.” Plenel argues that such thinking not only distorts history but also deepens the divide between the West and the global majority, fueling resentment, conflict, and resistance.

With a powerful new introduction for U.S. readers, The Garden and the Jungle is a call to reimagine Europe—and the political West—as part of, not above, the shared human experience. It is a plea for humility, solidarity, and the rediscovery of true universal values.

About the Author

Edwy Plenel is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and cofounder of Mediapart. He is the author of For the Muslims: Islamophobia in France, and was formerly Editorial Director of Le Monde.

About the Translator

Luke Leafgren is Assistant Dean of Harvard College. An acclaimed literary translator, he has translated seven novels from Arabic and is a two-time recipient of the Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize, including for The President’s Gardens by Muhsin Al-Ramli and Mister N. by Najwa Barakat.

🗓 Publication Date: September 9, 2025
📘 Format: Trade Paperback Original
📚 Publisher: Other Press

Advance Praise for The Garden and the Jungle:

“Insistently historical, geopolitically capacious, Edwy Plenel’s The Garden and the Jungle is bracing. It insists that we take a step back so that we face, without flinching, the truth of our world. Because it is only in so doing that we can undo the ugliness that has for too long marred human existence.”
—Grant Farred, author of The Perversity of Gratitude: An Apartheid Education

“This passionate, eloquent book is an outstanding portrait of the savagery of our times in the heart of civilization. Edwy Plenel, France’s outstanding journalist, writes of an empire of radical evil bent on the destruction of ideals of universal human rights and law. The source of toxicity in the ruling classes is the greed for riches never satisfied. Western imperial attitudes of superiority inside its walled garden keeping out the feared jungle, must change—this book is a trigger.”
—Victoria Brittain, author of Shadow Lives: The Forgotten Women of the War on Terror

“Edwy Plenel acutely and unsparingly diagnoses, in a time of genocide, the fatal flaw in Europe’s grandiose self-image. Anyone hoping for a future of less suffering and misery cannot afford to miss reading The Garden and the Jungle.”
—Pankaj Mishra, author of The World After Gaza

1757421964

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

‘The Garden and the Jungle’ release date

‘The Shadow of the Mammoth’: Inside Fabio Morábito’s New Story Collection

Famed Mexican literary treasure Fabio Morábito’s ‘The Shadow of the Mammoth: Stories.’ Photo: Other Press

📚Book Spotlight: The Shadow of the Mammoth: Stories by Fabio Morábito

Translated by Curtis Bauer
On Sale: September 2, 2025

The Shadow of the Mammoth: Stories, the vibrant new collection from acclaimed Mexican writer Fabio Morábito, offers 18 thought-provoking tales in the spirit of Mariana Enriquez and Yuri Herrera. Morábito explores the subtle intricacies of deception, translation, loneliness, and human connection—unearthing fresh perspectives on the world around us. (Other Press, 2025)

Peeling back the layers of the everyday, Morábito reveals the strange and profound within the mundane. His stories are emotionally resonant, filled with understated humor and unexpected flashes of hope. These are quiet yet powerful meditations on modern life, where the fleeting becomes magnified and meaning is found in the smallest details.

Through questions that seem almost absurd—Why is grass in airports so important? Can you be an extraordinary copyist without knowing how to read or write? Are there successful musicians who only play a single note in their life?—Morábito challenges us to see imagination not as a luxury, but as a vital way to stay connected to reality.

With prose stripped of excess and a trust in the reader’s curiosity, The Shadow of the Mammoth continues Morábito’s legacy of fiction that is as radical in form as it is humane in insight. Each story takes unpredictable turns, yet all share the unmistakable pleasure of storytelling that defines his work.

About the Author

Fabio Morábito was born in Egypt to Italian parents. At fifteen, he moved with his family from Milan to Mexico City, where he has lived ever since—and where he began writing exclusively in Spanish. He is the author of five poetry collections, five short-story collections, two novels, and a book of essays. He has also translated major Italian poets such as Eugenio Montale and Patrizia Cavalli into Spanish. Among his many honors is Mexico’s prestigious Xavier Villaurrutia Prize, awarded for his novel Home Reading Service (Other Press, 2021). His most recent collection, Mothers and Dogs, was published by Other Press in 2023.

About the Translator

Curtis Bauer is a poet and award-winning translator of Spanish-language prose and poetry. He has received the PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grant and a fellowship from the Banff International Literary Translation Centre. His translation of Jeannette Clariond’s Image of Absence won the International Latino Book Award for Best Nonfiction Book Translation. Bauer teaches creative writing and comparative literature at Texas Tech University.

Pre-order The Shadow of the Mammoth wherever books are sold.

Advance Praise for Fabio Morábito (The Shadow of the Mammoth):

“The Shadow of the Mammoth is a masterful book, a singular collection focused on singularities. In a world intent on consuming mass quantities of media, Morábito has instead chosen to narrow his scope to one nail, one piccolo note, one patch of grass abutting an airport runway, and turn these small circumstances into worlds unto themselves.”
—Elizabeth Gonzalez James, author of The Bullet Swallower

“The stories in The Shadow of the Mammoth are beautiful and sardonic snapshots of humans at their extremes: their oddest, their loneliest, their most neurotic. Simple, precise, but endlessly inventive, Morábito delights and surprises at every turn.”
—Ruben Reyes Jr., author of Archive of Unknown Universes and There is a Rio Grande in Heaven

“The stories in Morábito’s The Shadow of the Mammoth are full of intrigue. Captivating and nuanced, they explore the intimate, the mundane, and the extraordinary with unique insight. Morábito’s sharp, crystalline, and voice-driven prose lands with undeniable authority. A great collection.”
—Annell López, PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize Finalist and author of I’ll Give You a Reason

1756808737

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

‘The Shadow of the Mammoth’ release date

Grief, Grace, and the Signs We’re Given: Kathryn Henry’s Powerful Memoir

‘A Dime to Say I Love You’ will be released July 15, 2025. Photo: Barnes & Noble

📚Book Spotlight: A Dime to Say I Love You by Kathryn Henry
For Readers Navigating Grief, Love, and the Spiritual Unknown

For readers navigating grief, spiritual seekers questioning the nature of love and the afterlife, or anyone who’s ever whispered I miss you into the void―today’s book spotlight is especially for you. (Advantage Media, 2025)

A Dime to Say I Love You: A Journey of Love, Loss, and Spiritual Awakening by Kathryn Henry is a profoundly moving memoir that charts a path through unimaginable heartbreak and into unexpected transformation. It will be released on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.

When Henry lost her wife Lisa to a rare and aggressive cancer, she plunged into a deep well of grief that threatened to consume her. But what followed was more than mourning—it was a spiritual reckoning. This memoir chronicles not only their final days together, but also Kathryn’s unfolding inner journey, marked by raw honesty, resilience, and a search for meaning beyond death.

This is not your typical grief memoir. Grounded in the brutal reality of terminal illness and lifted by transcendent moments of love, humor, and insight, Henry’s voice emerges—shaped by trauma, tempered by devotion, and illuminated by spiritual inquiry. Their life together—renovating homes, hiking in Japan—comes alive on the page, where even the smallest details carry sacred weight. And then, there are the dimes: tiny silver tokens that begin appearing as signs, metaphysical breadcrumbs that hint at Lisa’s enduring presence.

Each chapter blends storytelling with meditative reflection, offering readers space to pause, breathe, and explore their own emotional landscapes. This is a book for anyone who has loved deeply and lost deeply—and is looking for light in the darkness.

For fans of Cheryl Strayed, Joan Didion, and Thich Nhat Hanh, A Dime to Say I Love You doesn’t offer easy answers. What it does offer is resonance: a reminder that pain is not the opposite of love, but its echo.

Kathryn Henry’s journey—from a turbulent youth and high-level corporate career (at lululemon, Gap, Levi’s), to a spiritual awakening forged in the fire of personal loss—is as extraordinary as it is relatable. Her story is a testament to love’s lasting imprint, and the quiet ways the universe may still speak, if we are listening.

Thirty Cats, One Memoir, and the Power of Showing Up

‘Poets Square’ is the new memoir by Courtney Gustafson. Photo: Barnes & Noble

📚Poets Square: A Memoir in Thirty Cats

How One Woman, Thirty Feral Cats, and a Bit of Dumb Hope Sparked a Movement of Care

What happens when you move into a new house—and discover that it comes with thirty feral cats?

In “Poets Square: A Memoir in Thirty Cats,” Courtney Gustafson shares the deeply personal and unexpectedly viral story of how a scrappy colony of stray cats transformed her life, her neighborhood, and the way she thinks about care, resilience, and community. (Penguin Random House, 2025)

A Pandemic, a New Relationship—and Then, the Cats

When Courtney moved into a rental in Tucson’s Poets Square neighborhood, she was already in survival mode. She was navigating a new relationship, working a job that didn’t pay enough, and dealing with mental health challenges—all during the chaos of a global pandemic.

So, when she realized her new home came with thirty unclaimed, unfixed, and hungry feral cats, her initial response was: not my problem.

But the cats had other ideas.

With their pleading eyes, visible ribs, and litters of kittens born in the gravel driveway, they became impossible to ignore.

From Reluctant Rescuer to Accidental Influencer

Courtney hadn’t planned on becoming an animal rescuer. She certainly didn’t anticipate the grief, exhaustion, or heartbreak that comes with trying to help creatures in need—especially within a system that fails both animals and people every day.

But in feeding, fixing, naming, and loving this colony—Monkey, Goldie, Francois, Sad Boy, and so many others—Courtney found something she didn’t expect: a way forward through her own personal darkness.

As she began documenting the daily lives of the cats on TikTok and Instagram, she quickly amassed a devoted following. Poets Square Cats became a viral phenomenon—and the support from her online community ended up saving her home.

A Story About Cats—and So Much More

This memoir is more than a chronicle of rescue work. It’s a meditation on what it means to show up—for others, for yourself, and for the broken spaces in between. Courtney takes readers from dark alleyways to trashed living rooms to her own front yard, revealing a raw, powerful journey that’s as much about humanity as it is about cats.

With tenderness, humor, and hard-won wisdom, “Poets Square” is a story about finding hope where it seems least likely, and building community—even when the world feels like it’s falling apart.

About the Author

Courtney Gustafson is a cat rescuer, community organizer, and creator of Poets Square Cats. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, and shares stories (and cat updates) with thousands on TikTok and Instagram.

Praise for “Poets Square”

“Truly moving; a heartfelt exploration of the humanity at the heart of animal welfare. Courtney masterfully weaves together stories of cats with stories of her own life and the lives of her community members—raw, flawed, and striving for goodness in a complex world. Her journey from cat observer to dedicated caregiver and community builder is profoundly inspiring.”—Hannah Shaw, New York Times bestselling author of Cats of the World

“Courtney Gustafson writes with uncommon grace about the castoff, the abandoned, the invisible. This book should be read and treasured for its ability to make the reader more human and humane.”—Lauren Slater, author of Blue Dreams and Lying

“Poets Square is charming and tender, funny-sad, quirky in the best possible way. It’s a story about care and compassion and acts of kindness big and small. I flew through it— and I’m not even a cat person.”—Chloë Ashby, author of Wet Paint

📚 Want more stories like this? Subscribe to my blog for book reviews, memoir spotlights, and reflections on resilience and community.

Time Travel Meets Thermopylae: ‘The Spartan Sacrifice’ Is Here

‘The Spartan Sacrifice’ by Andrew Varga is Book 4 in the time travel series. Photo: Imbrifex Books, used with permission.

📚 Book Spotlight: “The Spartan Sacrifice” by Andrew Varga

Coming August 5, 2025

If you love time travel, epic battles, and historical adventures, mark your calendars—“The Spartan Sacrifice” is almost here! This highly anticipated fourth installment in Andrew Varga’s A Jump in Time series takes young readers on a thrilling journey to one of the most iconic moments in history: the Battle of Thermopylae. (Imbrifex Books, 2025)

About the Book

In “The Spartan Sacrifice,” seventeen-year-old Dan and his partner Sam know their only chance to stop Victor Stahl’s quest for global domination is one more jump into the past. But this time, they land in ancient Greece, just before the legendary showdown between 300 Spartans and the massive Persian army.

As the warriors prepare for battle, a sudden accident threatens the very fabric of history. With the stakes higher than ever, Dan and Sam must navigate danger, loyalty, and sacrifice to prevent a catastrophe far worse than Victor’s evil plans.

Packed with fast-paced action, emotional depth, and historical intrigue, this book is a must-read for middle-grade and YA fans who crave adventure, courage, and clever storytelling.

Why You’ll Love It

  • 🛡️ Incredible Historical Hook
    From Hollywood epics to viral TikTok explainers, the Battle of Thermopylae continues to capture imaginations—and this novel dives into the real history behind the myth.
  • 🤝 Friendship Over Romance
    Dan and Sam’s bond grows stronger in this installment, highlighting the power of platonic friendships in a genre often dominated by romance.
  • 📚 History That’s Both Accurate and Fun
    Learn surprising details (like what Spartan shields really looked like!) while exploring themes of identity, courage, and sacrifice.
  • 👨‍👦 Parent-Inspired Origins
    This series began as a father-son exploration of history—and continues to be shaped by that shared curiosity and love of storytelling.

Series Recap

Catch up on the first three books in the A Jump in Time series:

  • The Last Saxon King
  • The Celtic Deception
  • The Mongol Ascension

Each adventure offers a stand-alone journey through a different era—perfect for young readers eager to time travel with purpose.

Meet the Author

Andrew Varga has been fascinated by history ever since his mother revealed he’s descended from Vikings. With a BA in history and English from the University of Toronto, Andrew has traveled across Europe, explored castles and museums, and collected swords and medieval weapons along the way.

Now living in the greater Toronto area with his wife Pam, three kids, and a lively household of pets (including dogs, cats, a turtle, and some fish), Andrew draws inspiration from his family’s passion for reading. His mission? To make history exciting, accessible, and unforgettable for the next generation.

Stay tuned for the release of “The Spartan Sacrifice” on August 5, 2025—and don’t forget to grab your shield. 🛡️

1754388112

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

‘The Spartan Sacrifice’ release date