Hello all, My friend and my daughter Sarah's bandmate, Antonio Michael Downing (aka John Orpheus) of Ontario has released a touching and real memoir, _Saga Boy,_ in Canada. The self-titled band toured Michigan pre-COVID and played several libraries, pubs, private and public events, including the 2018 and 2019 Harvest Festivals in Lake City. www.johnorpheus.com [1] I just bought the Penguin Random House Canada edition for our library. Sending this since some other libraries may be interested in the U.S. edition, out soon! See below. Thanks, --- _Susan Riegler_ Susan Riegler, Director Alden District Library 231/331-4318 -------- Original Message -------- SUBJECT: 👑Cover Reveal 👑 Antonio Michael Downing's SAGA BOY DATE: 2021-02-16 10:03 FROM: "Milkweed Editions" <joanna_demkiewicz@milkweed.org> TO: aldenlib@torchlake.com REPLY-TO: joanna_demkiewicz@milkweed.org Now Available For Preorder! [2] 👑 Cover Reveal 👑 Saga Boy: My Life of Blackness and Becoming Preorder now [3]! [4] Forthcoming September 14, 2021 Paperback 🔸 $16.00 🔸 344 pages 🔸 ISBN 978-1-57131-191-7 Available for preorder from Source Booksellers [5]! We are so excited to publish Antonio Michael Downing [6]'s memoir, _Saga Boy: My Life of Blackness and Becoming [7]_, this September. Tracing Downing's journey from the tropical forests of Trinidad to the stark landscape of rural Canada, _Saga Boy [8]_ is a poignant memoir of transformation. Downing explores the forces that fractured him as a boy--colonialism, trauma, and violent separations--as well as the forces that rebuilt him in all his kaleidoscopic glory, including music, art, activism, writing. Head to our blog [9] to read an excerpt [10] from the memoir and meet Miss Excelly, Downing's grandmother who was always singing and whose voice, Downing writes [11], "perfumed the very air." We are honored to partner with Downing's favorite local bookstore, Source Booksellers [12], in Detroit. Preorder [13] your copy of _Saga Boy [14]_ from Source today! PREORDER NOW! [15] ABOUT THE AUTHOR [16] Antonio Michael Downing [17] is the author of _Saga Boy [18]_. He grew up in southern Trinidad, northern Ontario, Brooklyn, and Kitchener. He is a musician, writer, and activist based in Toronto. His debut novel, _Molasses_, was published to critical acclaim. In 2017, he was named by the RBC Taylor Prize as one of Canada's top emerging authors for nonfiction. He performs and composes music as John Orpheus. PRAISE FOR SAGA BOY "Singularly dazzling, _Saga Boy [19]_ is a brilliant collage of the twenty-first century's most incredible memoirs. Told with an unforgettable and innovative pace, this a book I will reread forever." --Kiese Laymon, author of _Heavy_ "A vibrant, evocative, and searing account of the lives of Black immigrants. Downing helps us understand the rage and resilience of Black boys--motherless, fatherless, itinerant--and the communities that intervene to raise them. The triumph of _Saga Boy [20]_ is the triumph of Blackness everywhere--the irrepressible instinct for survival in a world where Blacks are prey." --Ian Williams, author of _Reproduction_ "An emotionally captivating, heartbreaking read on one man's journey to understand who he is, where he comes from and where he belongs. From being the only Black family in Wabigoon to moving transformatively through the music scene in the city, _Saga Boy [21]_makes us all question the strength of the ties that bind and where our future lies." --Tanya Talaga, author of _Seven Fallen Feathers_ and _All Our Relations_ PREORDER NOW! [22] UPCOMING EVENT Catch Antonio Michael Downing in conversation with musician and Kumbuka host Kaylan Waterman about _Saga Boy: My Life of Blackness and Becoming_ this Saturday, February 20, 2021 [23] at 6 pm CST/7 pm EST [24]. Northwestern Michigan College Library and Title Track will host Downing and Waterman for a conversation about how memory, family, and our collective histories shape our identity. This event, called "Blackness & Becoming," will feature a conversation between Downing and Waterman, as well as an opportunity for audience Q&A. Join the event via this Zoom link [25] (Webinar ID: 937 8598 5852). We hope to see you there! [26] MILKWEED EDITIONS Community-Supported Literature Milkweed Editions is an independent book publisher based in Minneapolis. We publish a range of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that introduces readers to different ways of living in and seeing the world. We fulfill our mission through our publishing program and through our independent bookstore [27], which specializes in introducing readers to exciting work from our fellow independent presses. Independent literature is made possible by readers like you. Invest in the writers and books of tomorrow with a donation to Milkweed today! DONATE [28] BOOKSTORE HOURS In order to combat the spread of COVID-19, Milkweed Books is temporarily closed. You can support our store in the meantime by placing a book order by emailing bookstore@milkweed.org or purchasing books from our Bookshop page [29]. Thanks! [30] [31] [32] Share this email: [33] [34] [35] [36] Manage [37] your preferences | Opt out [38] using TrueRemove(tm) Got this as a forward? Sign up [39] to receive our future emails. 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