Dan Barreiro Recommended Books

First published in 1952 and immediately hailed as a masterpiece, Invisible Man is one of those rare novels that have changed the shape of American literature. For not only does Ralph Ellison's nightmare journey across the racial divide tell unparalleled truths about the nature of bigotry and its effects on the minds of both victims and perpetrators, it gives us an entirely new model of what a novel can be.As he journeys from the Deep South to the streets and basements of Harlem, from a horrifying "battle royal" where black men are reduced to fighting animals, to a Communist rally where they are elevated to the status of trophies, Ralph Ellison's nameless protagonist ushers readers into a parallel universe that throws our own into harsh and even hilarious relief. Suspenseful and sardonic, narrated in a voice that takes in the symphonic range of the American language, black and white, Invisible Man is one of the most audacious and dazzling novels of our century.

When you drop your Diet Coke can or yesterday's newspaper in the recycling bin, where does it go? Probably halfway around the world, to people and places that clean up what you don't want and turn it into something you can't wait to buy. In Junkyard Planet , Adam Minter--veteran journalist and son of an American junkyard owner--travels deep into a vast, often hidden, five-hundred-billion-dollar industry that's transforming our economy and environment.With unmatched access to and insight on the waste industry, and the explanatory gifts and an eye for detail worthy of a John McPhee or a William Langewiesche, Minter traces the export of America's junk and the massive profits that China and other rising nations earn from it. What emerges is an engaging, colorful, and sometimes troubling tale of how the way we consume and discard stuff fuels a world that recognizes value where Americans don't. Junkyard Planet reveals that Americans might need to learn a smarter way to take out the trash.

We Love Minnesota Win, Lose, or Missed Field Goal! Minnesota fans have had it rough. From the Lakers leaving in 1960 to the original “Hail Mary” to perhaps the worst trade in professional sports to the departure of our beloved North Stars, we’ve cried, shrugged our shoulders, and cried some more. From generation to generation, the heartbreaks continue to pile up. But we don’t quit. We don’t give up. Minnesota’s fans of baseball, basketball, football, and hockey keep coming back, season after season, year after year. Twin Cities filmmaker Dan Whenesota called upon the diehard fanatics in the Land of 10,000 Lakes to help him compile a list of the worst, most devastating moments in our sports history. This “Calendar of Calamity” became the basis for History of Heartbreak . It’s more than a collection of unforgettable moments. It’s a tribute to our spirit, to our unwavering loyalty. It is a celebration of our favorite teams—the Vikings, Twins, Wild, Timberwolves, Gophers, and more—and a reminder that those who have experienced the worst learn to truly cherish the best. Join Minnesota fans across the state and around the country in remembering the moments that broke our hearts and brought us back for more. Inside You’ll Find