Books published by publisher Soft Skull Press/Red Rattle Books

Waukesha Jackson’s book is an examination of loss and recovery. Starting with her relationship to her mother, Ms. Jackson reflects upon the struggles inherent in many of the lives of women living in the Ninth Ward. In particular, she examines the frequent role of women as caretaker of the community – in their homes, social clubs, barrooms, and churches. Through interviews, photography, and reflection, Ms. Jackson captures the tough times and victories of her family and neighbors.

In The Combination, Ashley Nelson paints a beautiful, nuanced portrait of life in one of downtown New Orleans’s oldest public housing complexes, the Lafitte. Nelson, who grew up in the project, begins with her own family, merging their often painful history, including her parents’ drug use and her mother’s death from cancer, through the daily life of the community. A brilliant, lyrical observer, Nelson’s interviews let the reader hear from voices rarely engaged: a woman who collects cans for a living, the owner of the corner store, neighborhood drug dealers, the project’s Residential Council, and other members of the community more often profiled in grim statistics than actually listened to. She writes about and photographs much of Lafitte and the Sixth Ward, from second lines to ward signs, from the Wild Side to the Real Side, from Dooky Chase to Southern Scrap, stories and images now weighted with an almost unbearable poignancy.

Snoot is a Drudgebot, seemingly condemned to slaving forever in the depths of the Cylinder that powers the all-important light inside Dome City. Because of his odd shape and his distracted nature, his peers make fun of him. Curious about what exists outside the Dome on the asteroid at the end of the Universe, Snoot ventures forth to discover darkness and danger, but also new friends. Tik and Tak, lightning bugs, a caterpillar named Fernando, and Silo, the sole surviving Makerbot, inspire Snoot to return to Dome City to help liberate the Drudgebots. Borrowing and evoking elements from Star Wars, Antz, Toy Story, and manga, this is a story about believing in one's self and going against the grain. The Saddest Little Robot is the first title under the new Red Rattle Books imprint — a series aimed to satisfy the need for socially aware, nondidactic, sophisticated children's literature that's in line with the ideals of a new generation of parents. This colorfully illustrated children's sci-fi fable encourages readers to look for truth beyond the surface and to realize they are strong enough to help change the world for the better.