Patricia Smith

A storm's-eye view of the devastation that forever changed New Orleans and America.

Poems

Blood Dazzler

The ghost of Emmett Till takes breath and litany through the powerful lines in Patricia Smith s new collection, "Incendiary Art." Metaphors and painful snapshots, written with the precision of a poet who has conquered page and stage, capture the United States of America on the brink and the implosion of civil rights with the Mississippi murder of a young boy from Chicago. Smith is the one to tell this story. Known world-wide for her commanding poetry, Smith still holds close her Chicago roots and empathy. Patricia Smith breaks us wide open, challenges history and gives Emmet Till, and the ones who grieved through this injustice, voice and power. "

Incendiary Art

poems

Blood dazzler

Unshuttered

“When They Are Done with Us” by Patricia Smith was selected for inclusion in The Best American Mystery Stories 2013, edited by Otto Penzler and Lisa Scottoline Brand-new stories by: Bill Loehfelm, S.J. Rozan, Ted Anthony, Todd Craig, Ashley Dawson, Bruce DeSilva, Louisa Ermelino, Binnie Kirshenbaum, Michael Largo, Mike Penncavage, Linda Nieves-Powell, Patricia Smith, Shay Youngblood, and Edward Joyce. "Staten Island, the last of New York City's five boroughs to enter Akashic's noir series, severs as the setting for this exceptionally strong anthology." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Smith’s introduction is a revelation. She knows the Island I have in my head. It was like finding a literary sibling, separated since birth." --Washington Independent "It’s not enough for noir to be dark. It’s got to be bad-ass. Its words, its decaying and horrible beauty have got to hit you like a spiked heel dragged from your guts to your gullet. It’s got to twist the hot knife of passion in that soft space right below your belly while pumping bullets into your heart. It’s got to make you bleed. Akashic Books’ latest in their noir series, Staten Island Noir features some dusky and drop-dead gorgeous gems (emphasis on the dead) that do just that." --Grub Street Daily "Staten Island is the forgotten borough, lacking a subway system, left out of Jay-Z's songs, known for organized crime, bad accents, fake tans, and garbage--which makes it a rich setting for Akashic's noir series...In a thrilling tilt-a-whirl of crime and drama, editor Patricia Smith has carefully chosen writers concerned with the true nature of the small suburban borough." --Electric Literature's "The Outlet" "Each story in this enjoyable collection has its own charms, if the words 'enjoyable' or 'charms' can be used with these dark tales, and each can stand-alone. However, if, like me, you had always looked at Staten Island as banal and benign, by the book's end your ideas will be forever changed." --ReviewingTheEvidence.com Patricia Smith, editor of Staten Island Noir, has won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for her short story included in the anthology, “When They Are Done with Us.”

Staten Island Noir

Charles Johnson

WGBH Series Research Team

The history of slavery is chronicled through the eyes of slaves, from their landing in Jamestown to the Civil War.

America's Journey Through Slavery

Africans in America

Life According to Motown, Patricia Smith's first book, told of the glittery deceptions of the Motown era and the difficulties of growing up under their sway. Big Towns, Big Talk takes a look at what happens after you've grown up.

Big Towns, Big Talk

A National Poetry Series winner, chosen by Edward Sanders. “What power. Smith’s poetry is all poetry. And visceral. Her poems get under the skin of their subjects. Their passion and empathy, their real worldliness, are blockbuster.”—Marvin Bell “I was weeping for the beauty of poetry when I reached the end of the final poem.”—Edward Sanders, National Poetry Series judge From Lollapalooza to Carnegie Hall, Patricia Smith has taken the stage as this nation’s premier performance poet. Featured in the film Slamnation and on the HBO series Def Poetry Jam, Smith is back with her first book in over a decade—a National Poetry Series winner weaving passionate, bluesy narratives into an empowering, finely tuned cele-bration of poetry’s liberating power.

Teahouse of the Almighty

A collection of poems explores the second wave of the Great Migration.

Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah

Presents a collection of poems that are written in the voices of black men in inner-city Chicago and Boston.

Close to Death

S. J. Rozan

Tim McLoughlin

Lawrence Block

Robert Knightly

Discover dark mysteries nestled in every borough of the Big Apple in this collection of five noir short story anthologies. New York City Noir: The Five Borough Set collects the five NYC borough installments in our award-winning Akashic Noir Series into a single e-book edition: Brooklyn Noir, edited by Tim McLoughlin, Manhattan Noir, edited by Lawrence Block, Bronx Noir, edited by S.J. Rozan, Queens Noir, edited by Robert Knightly, and Staten Island Noir, edited by Patricia Smith.

The Five Borough Set

New York City Noir

Its eyes gleamed in enchanting, eternally damned mischief then they lured my soul and won it from me. What do you do when love and happiness are impossible dreams? When you commit one sin and guilt torments you for the rest of your life? Rich, handsome and a hero of the Crusades, Sir Michael is haunted by his past and does what he must to keep despair from overwhelming him. He skilfully hides his passion for a beautiful woman which determines everything he does. And he lusts for power. From the moment he sees the beautiful flask it tempts him from the depths of his being as he plots and intrigues at the highest levels, deceiving Simon de Montfort and King Henry III as they stand head-to-head for control of England. But demons tie themselves tighter round his soul as the Divine Curse digs deep inside him. When the two armies head for a battle that will change England forever he is forced to make the hardest decision of his life.

Sir Michael's Story

The Divine Curse Book 2 - Temptation

This enthralling historical novel brings alive the dark world of medieval religion and hypocrisy. Innocence? No protection. No protection at all. There was a moment of total silence when even birds were hushed. Then we heard hooves. Into the square trotted a magnificent white palfrey with richly-embossed saddle, tossing its head in silent rebellion as the rider jerked at the reins. "I give you my blessing!" the man shouted. I tried not to flinch, hoping my look of horror hadn't given me away. That tight, clipped voice was horribly familiar; his long nose and fleshy chin could only belong to one man. The Inquisitor. In Toulouse. How I cursed my over-confidence. What a fool I'd been to ignore my doubts. Our most precious gift was beyond price and for it he'd chase us to the gates of Hell itself. But recriminations were useless. Perhaps the man wouldn't notice us. Or perhaps this was Fate. He dismounted, gave the reins to a soldier and strode like an oversized, hunched vulture straight towards where I stood. Anton, desperate for glory, is one of hundreds of Cathar heretics besieged in the doomed citadel of Montsegur. Reluctantly he agrees to smuggle a small package to safety and leave the Citadel to its fate. Even more reluctantly he must accept a companion - Anna Marie, feisty, resourceful and able to charm leaves off the trees. Inside the package lies a secret that many will torture or kill to possess. Is it God's greatest gift which will redeem mankind forever, or 'the divine curse', destroyer of Christianity? But they have their own demons to face - and a relationship to forge. They flee across a divided, violent and fearful France, relentlessly pursued by the mysterious Inquisitor and seeking sanctuary which they never find. Dr.Valerie Levy (author of 'Midwyf') comments, "This is a gem - what a pleasure to read a well-written story set in such a fascinating period of history. I have read several books about the Cathars and medieval Europe; this has to be one of the most interesting." Janet Bettle (author of legal thrillers 'Unnatural Causes', 'The Confession', 'Dead Man's Shoes') says, "It took me into a totally different world, my guides being two young French people on the run from religious persecutors. The characters were interesting and developed over the course of the story; the plot was exciting and fast-moving. It managed to be entertaining and informative at the same time, introducing me into a world that I knew so little about."

Desperation: a Chilling Historical Novel

The Divine Curse

Where does a man run to when he's hunted like a dog, he's lost everything worth living for and his heart is turned to ice? Anton and Anna Marie are thrown into the dark times of Henry III when England struggles towards civil war after the Magna Carta. They make a ruthless enemy - Sir Michael - who shows no mercy to anyone who stands in his way. And they possess his heart's desire. Hiding near a leper's hospice, discovery is an everyday threat as armies march, mobs riot and England sinks into chaos. Older now, and wiser, they struggle to cope with the challenges of life and love. When Anton saves a monk's life it seems his prayers have been answered. Instead he's forced into another world of deceit and secrecy. Accused of murder he flees from everything and everyone he loves until the grand and terrible climax. And the Divine Curse tempts them into the greatest wrong of all. This compelling page-turner set in medieval England will grip you, shake you and not let go.

Anton's Story

The Divine Curse Book 2 - Deception

Yolanda Estes

Arnold Lorenzo Farr

Clelia Smyth

They are often portrayed as outsiders: ethnic minorities, the poor, the disabled, and so many others—all living on the margins of mainstream society. Countless previous studies have focused on their pain and powerlessness, but that has done little more than sustain our preconceptions of marginalized groups. Most accounts of marginalization approach the subject from a distance and tend to overemphasize the victimization of outsiders. Taking a more intimate approach, this book reveals the personal, moral, and social implications of marginalization by drawing upon the actual experiences of such individuals. Multidisciplinary and multicultural, Identity on the Margin addresses marginalization at a variety of social levels and within many different social phenomena, going beyond familiar cases dealing with race, ethnicity, and gender to examine such outsiders as renegade children, conservative Christians, and the physically and mentally disabled. And because women are especially subject to the effects of marginalization, feminist concerns and the marginalization of sexual practices provide a common denominator for many of the essays. From problems posed by "complimentary racism" to the status of gays in Tony Blair's England, from the struggle of Native Americans to preserve their identities to the singular problems of single mothers, Identity on the Margin takes in a broad spectrum of cases to provide theoretical analysis and ethical criticism of the mechanisms of identity formation at the edges of society. In all of the cases, the authors demonstrate the need for theory that initiates social change by considering the ethical implications of marginalization and criticizing its harmful effects. Bringing together accounts of marginalization from many different disciplines and perspectives, this collection addresses a broad audience in the humanities and social sciences. It offers a basis for enhancing our understanding of this process—and for working toward meaningful social change.

Marginal Groups and Mainstream American Culture

Pat Smith's Doll Values

National Institute of Justice (U.S.)

Daniel McGillis

An Analysis of American Programs

Compensating Victims of Crime

George Smith

Danny is the story of a true event about a man with Down syndrome who was senselessly and viciously murdered. His life is recounted, and the criminal investigation, trial and its results are laid out for the reader's scrutiny. Only then are readers able to understand what happened to the criminals and to Danny’s family. Throughout Danny’s life there were many crises, which he overcame by the strength of his personality and family support. Danny had many clear-headed attributes, and he certainly utilized his intellectual abilities to their maximum. Out of determination and need, Danny created his own business enabling him to become self-supporting and financially independent. But rather than giving him the recognition he deserves, we are left pondering his fate. Danny was brave and didn’t submit to his aggressors. His bravery was no different than a soldier's on the field of battle. Danny's death, unfortunately, presents us with a dilemma: Did he fail to receive equal justice under the law, because he was handicapped? In many ways, our society and the people who govern it appear to be unable to properly cope with individuals like Danny. On the face of it, for whatever reason, our highly technical society is regrettably able to abstract itself from the needs of its less fortunate members. Heroes are not selected. If they were, they would all be glamorous, rich and, perhaps, celebrities. In reality, we must accept a hero from whence he comes. Danny was an authentic hero, even though he came to us from poverty and obscurity.

The Murder of a Man with Down Syndrome

Danny

Sibyl A. Schwarzenbach

Women and the U.S. Constitution is about much more than the nineteenth amendment. This provocative volume incorporates law, history, political theory, and philosophy to analyze the U.S. Constitution as a whole in relation to the rights and fate of women. Divided into three parts—History, Interpretation, and Practice—this book views the Constitution as a living document, struggling to free itself from the weight of a two-hundred-year-old past and capable of evolving to include women and their concerns. Feminism lacks both a constitutional theory as well as a clearly defined theory of political legitimacy within the framework of democracy. The scholars included here take significant and crucial steps toward these theories. In addition to constitutional issues such as federalism, gender discrimination, basic rights, privacy, and abortion, Women and the U.S. Constitution explores other issues of central concern to contemporary women—areas that, strictly speaking, are not yet considered a part of constitutional law. Women's traditional labor and its unique character, and women and the welfare state, are two examples of topics treated here from the perspective of their potentially transformative role in the future development of constitutional law.

History, Interpretation, and Practice

Women and the U.S. Constitution

A collection of personal poems about the authors children, grandchildren, family, friends, inspirations of nature and her feelings of love and melancholy.She has been writing down poems when inspired throughout different phases of her life. They are poems written from her heart and soul.

Patricia Smith

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