April's book drive focuses on Pride, personal growth, and creative expression

APRIL'S BOOK DRIVE PICKS

Following March's drive (Howard Zinn on History, Bloodchild and Other Stories, and Black Sun Rising (La Corazonada) is a bundle that mixes self-improvement with a seminal work on the origins of the gay liberation movement. A frequent request from incarcerated readers are materials on how to write business plans, and to think about employment beyond prison. Mind Your Business is a workbook for aspiring entrepreneurs or anyone re-entering the workforce.  As well, the demand for art instruction (whether of figures, still lifes, or comics) never ceases, and this month we include more selections from the "How to Draw in Simple Steps" series: People, Dogs, and Manga characters. Most importantly, especially for the sizable LGBTQ communities currently incarcerated in state and federal prisons, is The Stonewall Reader: a collection of personal accounts, critical essays, and contemporaneous articles on the 1969 Stonewall uprising and its legacy. It might not be Pride Month, but gay history isn't only for June. Compiled by the New York Public Library, The Stonewall Reader spotlights activists and activism at their most inspiring. 

PURCHASE THE BUNDLE HERE

Many thanks to all of you who have participated in our ongoing drive to benefit NYC Books Through Bars! We truly appreciate your generosity at this time (over 7,000 books purchased on their behalf since June 2020!), when those incarcerated face ever greater obstacles getting access to written material. 

Why it is important to donate to NYC Books Through Bars
While the NYC Books Through Bars program operating out of Freebird's basement is currently limiting in-person volunteering and drop offs due to COVID-19, book requests continue to pour in from prisons around the country: nearly 300 per week. In response to the challenges of accepting those donations during the pandemic, we have started a monthly program in which specific, in-demand titles can be purchased through Freebird at a discount. These books will be sent to incarcerated readers across the country. ​
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Want to buy a copy of this month's featured book for yourself?  Click on the link below.