Books published by publisher Zone Books

A philosophical study of the testimony of the survivors of Auschwitz.In this book the Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben looks closely at the literature of the survivors of Auschwitz, probing the philosophical and ethical questions raised by their testimony. "In its form, this book is a kind of perpetual commentary on testimony. It did not seem possible to proceed otherwise. At a certain point, it became clear that testimony contained at its core an essential lacuna; in other words, the survivors bore witness to something it is impossible to bear witness to. As a consequence, commenting on survivors' testimony necessarily meant interrogating this lacuna or, more precisely, attempting to listen to it. Listening to something absent did not prove fruitless work for this author. Above all, it made it necessary to clear away almost all the doctrines that, since Auschwitz, have been advanced in the name of ethics."―Giorgio Agamben

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers is a young adult novel about seventeen-year-old Richie Perry, a Harlem teenager who volunteers for the Army when unable to afford college and is sent to fight in the Vietnam War. Perry and his platoon—Peewee, Lobel, Johnson, and Brunner—come face-to-face with the Vietcong, the harsh realities of war, and some dark truths about themselves. A thoughtful young man with a gift for writing and love of basketball, Perry learns to navigate among fellow soldiers under tremendous stress and struggles with his own fear as he sees things he’ll never forget: the filling of body bags, the deaths of civilians and soldier friends, the effects of claymore mines, the fires of Napalm, and jungle diseases like Nam Rot.Available as an e-book for the first time on the 25th anniversary of its publication, Fallen Angels has been called one of the best Vietnam War books ever and one of the great coming-of-age Vietnam War stories. Filled with unforgettable characters, not least Peewee Gates of Chicago who copes with war by relying on wisecracks and dark humor, Fallen Angels “reaches deep into the minds of soldiers” and makes “readers feel they are there, deep in the heart of war.”Fallen Angels has won numerous awards and honors, including the Coretta Scott King Award, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a Booklist Editors Choice, and a School Library Journal Best Book. Fallen Angels was #16 on the American Library Association’s list of the most frequently challenged books of 1990–2000 for its realistic depiction of war and those who fight in wars.

A philosophical study of the testimony of the survivors of Auschwitz.In this book the Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben looks closely at the literature of the survivors of Auschwitz, probing the philosophical and ethical questions raised by their testimony. "In its form, this book is a kind of perpetual commentary on testimony. It did not seem possible to proceed otherwise. At a certain point, it became clear that testimony contained at its core an essential lacuna; in other words, the survivors bore witness to something it is impossible to bear witness to. As a consequence, commenting on survivors' testimony necessarily meant interrogating this lacuna or, more precisely, attempting to listen to it. Listening to something absent did not prove fruitless work for this author. Above all, it made it necessary to clear away almost all the doctrines that, since Auschwitz, have been advanced in the name of ethics."―Giorgio Agamben

Escape from Hat is the story of Leek, an especially talented lucky rabbit in an especially unlucky situation. When a fateful magic trick sends Leek tumbling into the land of Hat, the rabbit yearns only to return to the human boy he's sworn to protect. But the dark realm of Hat is ruled by black cats, whose job it is to spread bad luck among us all. When Millikin discovers that his nemesis now journeys through his own back yard, the cat commands his dark legions to find Leek and his faithful companions, with the help of their insidious machines, the Dimmer-Dammers. Meanwhile, in the world that has a sun, young Cecil Bean is left without any luck at all - good or bad - as his personal black cat searches madly for his own white rabbit. Thus Cecil embarks on his own journey to find the sinister magician who first cast his rabbit into peril. From rickety caravans to gargantuan sea monsters, the parallel journeys of a boy and his rabbit are a reminder that love and friendship are the greatest magics of all. Adam Kline presents a classic tale of humor, charm, and epic proportion, brought to life by the vibrant illustrations of Brian Taylor, which tread a delicious line between traditional fantasy and contemporary pop. This is a book to keep, to give, to read curled in a corner and aloud at bedtime, for both the young and the simply young at heart.Lexile Score: 1000LAR Level: 6.6