Panther Gap

"Chock-full of adventure, runs the gamut on the human experience....One hell of a good yarn.” ―David Baldacci The thrilling new novel from the Edgar Award–winning author of Bearskin, about two siblings on the verge of inheriting millions but who discover dark secrets in their family’s past. Named a most anticipated book by Crime Reads and BookPage Siblings Bowman and Summer were raised by their father and two uncles on a remote Colorado ranch. They react differently to his radical teachings and the confusions of adolescence. As young adults, they become estranged but are brought back together in their thirties by the prospect of an illegal and potentially dangerous inheritance from their grandfather. They must ultimately reconcile with each other and their past in order to defeat ruthless criminal forces trying to extort the inheritance. Set in the rugged American West and populated by drug cartels, shadowy domestic terrorists, and nefarious business interests, Panther Gap shows James McLaughlin’s talents on full display: gorgeous environmental writing, a white-knuckle thriller plot, and characters dealing with legacy, identity, and their own place in the world.

With their collection In Search of the Black Panther Party, Yohuru Williams and Jama Lazerow provided a broad analysis of the Black Panther Party and its legacy. In Liberated Territory, they turn their attention to local manifestations of the organization, far away from the party’s Oakland headquarters. This collection’s contributors, all historians, examine how specific party chapters and offshoots emerged, developed, and waned, as well as how the local branches related to their communities and to the national party. The histories and character of the party branches vary as widely as their locations. The Cape Verdeans of New Bedford, Massachusetts, were initially viewed as a particular challenge for the local Panthers but later became the mainstay of the Boston-area party. In the early 1970s, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, chapter excelled at implementing the national Black Panther Party’s strategic shift from revolutionary confrontation to mainstream electoral politics. In Detroit, the Panthers were defined by a complex relationship between their above-ground activities and an underground wing dedicated to armed struggle. While the Milwaukee chapter was born out of a rising tide of black militancy, it ultimately proved more committed to promoting literacy and health care and redressing hunger than to violence. The Alabama Black Liberation Front did not have the official imprimatur of the national party, but it drew heavily on the Panthers’ ideas and organizing strategies, and its activism demonstrates the broad resonance of many of the concerns articulated by the national party: the need for jobs, for decent food and housing, for black self-determination, and for sustained opposition to police brutality against black people. Liberated Territory reveals how the Black Panther Party’s ideologies, goals, and strategies were taken up and adapted throughout the United States. Contributors: Devin Fergus, Jama Lazerow, Ahmad A. Rahman, Robert W. Widell Jr., Yohuru Williams

Pack a lunch, lace up your boots, and head out to discover the best hiking trails in the Golden State with Moon California Hiking. A Hike for Everyone: Pick the right hike for you, from breathtaking coastal walks to challenging backcountry treks, with options ranging from easy day hikes to multi-day backpacking trips Best Hikes Lists: Choose from strategic lists like Best Desert Hikes, Best Hikes for Redwoods, Fall Colors, Hikes with Kids, Waterfalls, Wildflowers, and more Essential Planning Details: Each hike is marked with round-trip distance and hiking time and rated for scenic beauty and trail difficulty Maps and Directions: Find easy-to-use maps, driving directions to each trailhead, and details on where to park Skip the Crowds: Have the trail to yourself with recommended off-the-radar hikes Expert Advice: Seasoned hikers Tom Stienstra and Ann Marie Brown offer their trusted insight and honest opinions on each trail Tips and Tools: Advice on gear, first aid, and camping permits, plus background information on climate, landscape, and wildlife Whether you're a veteran or a first-time hiker, Moon's comprehensive coverage and honest expertise will have you gearing up for your next adventure. Exploring more of the Golden State? Try Moon California Camping. Hitting the road? Check out Moon California Road Trip.

When Luke Taylor's father leaves home to fight for the South in the Civil War, it's up to Luke to be the man of his family. Luke struggles to keep his family safe as Union soldiers march through the South burning crops, destroying buildings, and killing livestock. When a band of renegades dressed as Union soldiers attacks his home, killing his brother and beating him and his mother, Luke must leave the farm to find his father. Luke and his father return to see their farm facing a new threat-carpetbaggers from the North who threaten to seize their land. When Luke and his father resist, Luke has to kill a carpetbagger to defend his father. The leader of the carpetbaggers reports to the Union army that Luke killed his man in cold blood. Luke must either stay with his family and risk being hanged or leave his home forever in search of a better life in the West. In Luke Taylor-Westward Bound, Luke races against time, Union soldiers, and bounty hunters on his way to join a wagon train in Independence, Missouri. With only a packhorse, a few days' supply of food, and a stowaway dog, Luke heads west on a tense, adventure-filled journey of survival. Luke Taylor-Westward Bound takes readers along on a thrilling quest for freedom, peace, and ultimately, revenge.

The North Carolina Gazetteer first appeared to wide acclaim in 1968 and has remained an essential reference for anyone with a serious interest in the Tar Heel State, from historians to journalists, from creative writers to urban planners, from backpackers to armchair travelers. This revised and expanded edition adds approximately 1,200 new entries, bringing to nearly 21,000 the number of North Carolina cities, towns, crossroads, waterways, mountains, and other places identified here. The stories attached to place names are at the core of the book and the reason why it has stood the test of time. Some recall faraway places: Bombay, Shanghai, Moscow, Berlin. Others paint the locality as a little piece of heaven on earth: Bliss, Splendor, Sweet Home. In many cases the name derivations are unusual, sometimes wildly so: Cat Square, Huggins Hell, Tater Hill, Whynot. Telling us much about our own history in these snapshot histories of particular locales, The North Carolina Gazetteer provides an engaging, authoritative, and fully updated reference to place names from all corners of the Tar Heel State.

WINNER OF THE 2019 EDGAR FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL “Bearskin is visceral, raw, and compelling—filled with sights, smells, and sounds truly observed. It’s a powerful debut and an absolute showcase of exceptional prose. There are very few first novels when I feel compelled to circle brilliant passages, but James McLaughlin’s writing had me doing just that.” —C.J. Box, #1 NYT bestselling author of The Disappeared Rice Moore is just beginning to think his troubles are behind him. He’s found a job protecting a remote forest preserve in Virginian Appalachia where his main responsibilities include tracking wildlife and refurbishing cabins. It’s hard work, and totally solitary—perfect to hide away from the Mexican drug cartels he betrayed back in Arizona. But when Rice finds the carcass of a bear killed on the grounds, the quiet solitude he’s so desperately sought is suddenly at risk. More bears are killed on the preserve and Rice’s obsession with catching the poachers escalates, leading to hostile altercations with the locals and attention from both the law and Rice’s employers. Partnering with his predecessor, a scientist who hopes to continue her research on the preserve, Rice puts into motion a plan that could expose the poachers but risks revealing his own whereabouts to the dangerous people he was running from in the first place. James McLaughlin expertly brings the beauty and danger of Appalachia to life. The result is an elemental, slow burn of a novel—one that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, situated in California's rugged Sierra Nevada, boast some of the most spectacular landscapes on the continent: towering groves of giant sequoia trees, crystalline trout rivers, jagged peaks and alpine meadows, and Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the lower 48. Discover over 80 of the best hikes in the parks, from easy day hikes to challenging backpacking trips, accompanied by colorful photos and trail maps. This book is a personal guide to the wonders of the California Sierra.

Like many hikers who’ve completed the Appalachian Trail, Jeffrey Ryan didn’t do it in one long through-hike. Grabbing weekends here and days off there, it took Jeffrey twenty-eight years to finish the trail, and along the way he learned much about himself and made many new friends, including his best friend, who made the journey with him from start to finish. Including 75 color photos, this engaging book is part memoir, part natural history and lore, and part practical advice. Whether you’ve hiked the AT, are planning to hike it, or only wish to dream of hiking it, this is the book to read next.