The Silver State
On the Trail of the Jackalope

No Charity in the Wilderness

No Charity in the Wilderness is a long journey into the new American West. From the southern border to the isolating two-lane highways in the desert, this collection is a prayer of reconciliation with so much that troubles us–those who live without resources or voices–and their possible future in this ever-changing landscape of desire.

Griffin has spent many decades in the high desert trying to find the way forward–when what he knows has been challenged and still there is breath on the horizon. One day an ancient Chinese poet comes to visit: “Snow deepens/ to quiet what I once believed, and Wang Wei stoops from the spine: / this is how you become silence.” Even if you doubt the old poet’s counsel, like Griffin, you want to journey with him into the wilderness.

More Non-Juvenile Books

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  • Punctuated by historical images and told through multiple voices, languages, literary forms and documents, West: A Translation explores what unites and divides America, drawing a powerful, necessary connection between the completion of the transcontinental railroad and the Chinese Exclusion Act.
  • One of the most distinctive and prolific writers of the Harlem Renaissance, Anita Scott Coleman (1890-1960) found popular and critical success in the flourishing African American press of the early twentieth century. Yet unlike many of her New York-based contemporaries, Coleman lived her life in the American West, first in New Mexico and later in California. Her work thus offers a rare view of African American life in that region. Broader in scope than any previous anthology of Coleman’s writings, this volume collects the author’s finest stories, essays, and poems, including many not published since they first appeared in African American [...]
  • In Whalesong: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to Orcas, readers will be enchanted by the tale of Paul Horn, a professional musician who, alongside scientist Dr. Paul Spong, discovers the ability to communicate with captive orcas through music. This captivating story not only highlights the bond between humans and these majestic creatures but also ignites an entire anti-captivity movement dedicated to their protection.