An examination of what algorithmic polarization means for society and how conservative elites use media literacy tactics to spread propaganda The Propagandists’ Playbook peels back the layers of the right-wing media manipulation machine to reveal why its strategies are so effective and pervasive, while also humanizing the people whose worldviews and media practices conservatism embodies. Based on interviews and ethnographic observations of two Republican groups over the course of the 2018 Virginia gubernatorial race—including the author’s firsthand experience of the 2017 Unite the Right rally—the book considers how Google algorithms, YouTube playlists, pundits, and politicians can manipulate audiences, reaffirm beliefs, and expose audiences to more extremist ideas, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Francesca Tripodi argues that conservatives who embody the Christian worldview give authoritative weight to original texts and interrogate the media using the same tools taught to them in Bible study—for example, using Google to “fact check” the news. The result of this practice, tied to conservative marketing tactics, is more than a reaffirmation of existing beliefs: it is a radicalization of content and a changing of narratives adopted by the media. Tripodi also demonstrates the pervasiveness of white supremacy in the conservative media ecosystem, as well as its mainstream appeal, scope, and spread. Dr. Francesca Tripodi is a sociologist and media scholar whose research examines the relationship between social media, political partisanship, and digital inequality. She is an Assistant Professor at the School of Information and Library Science (SILS) and a Senior Research at the Center for Information Technology and Public Life (CITAP) at UNC-Chapel Hill. In 2019, she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on how search engines are gamed to drive ideologically based queries. Her research has been covered by The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Yorker, NPR, The Columbia Journalism […]

Flyleaf Books is hosting Monica Byrne, in conversation with Kim Stanley Robinson, for a special online event to launch the paperback version of The Actual Star on Crowdcast. To access this exclusive event, purchase a paperback copy of The Actual Star ($18.99 retail price plus tax) and mention in the order comments that you would like to sign up for the online event. We will add you to the registration list, and the link + access password will be sent to you two days before the event. Monica Byrne is happy to sign & personalize copies of The Actual Star. Please use your order comments to specify whether you'd like your copy personalized (and to what name) or just plain signed! Please contact Flyleaf Books at info@flyleafbooks.com with any questions. David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas meets Octavia Butler’s Earthseed series, as acclaimed author Monica Byrne (The Girl in the Road) crafts an unforgettable piece of speculative fiction about where humanity came from, where we are now, and where we’re going—and how, in every age, the same forces that drive us apart also bind us together. "A stone-cold masterpiece."—New Scientist The Actual Star takes readers on a journey over two millennia and six continents—telling three powerful tales a thousand years apart, all of them converging in the same cave in the Belizean jungle. Braided together are the stories of a pair of teenage twins who ascend the throne of a Maya kingdom; a young American woman on a trip of self-discovery in Belize; and two dangerous charismatics vying for the leadership of a new religion, racing toward a confrontation that will determine the fate of the few humans left on Earth after massive climate change. In each era, a reincarnated trinity of souls navigates the entanglements of tradition and progress, sister and […]

The tortured spirits of the dead haunt a Regency-era English manor—but the true danger lies in the land of the living in the third installment in the Lily Adler mysteries, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn. Regency widow Lily Adler is looking forward to spending the autumn away from the social whirl of London. When she arrives in Hampshire with her friends, the Carroways, she doesn’t expect much more than a quiet country visit and the chance to spend time with her charming new acquaintance, Matthew Spencer. But something odd is afoot in the small country village. A ghost has taken up residence in the Belleford manor, a lady in grey who wanders the halls at night, weeping and wailing. Half the servants have left in terror, but the family seems delighted with the notoriety that their ghost provides. Intrigued by this spectral guest, Lily and her party immediately make plans to visit Belleford. They arrive at the manor the next morning ready to be entertained—only to find that tragedy has struck. The matriarch of the family has just been found killed in her bed. The dead woman’s family is convinced that the ghost is responsible. Lily is determined to learn the truth before another victim turns up—but could she be next in line for the Great Beyond? Katharine Schellman is a former actor and one-time political consultant. These days, she writes the Lily Adler Mysteries (Crooked Lane Books) and the Nightingale Mysteries (Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press). Her debut novel, The Body in the Garden, was one of Suspense Magazine’s Best Books of 2020; its sequel, Silence in the Library, was praised as “worthy of Agatha Christie or Rex Stout.” (Library Journal, starred review) Katharine lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her husband, children, and […]

The first class is to get you started into the world of resin. Since resin can be tricky and it's not a cheap product, its best to learn and try avoiding expensive mistakes. Learn how to use two-part resin with the easy, proven methods of an artist with resin experience. You will be amazed with how you can use resin as a quick and simple way to make unique items. By the end of this class, you will feel confident you have the skills and knowledge to make your own distinctive resin goodies to add to your collection, give to others or even sell!

On a moonlit night in 1889, Iowa farmer John Elkins and his young wife, Hattie, were brutally murdered in their bed. Eight days later, their son, eleven-year-old Wesley Elkins, was arrested and charged with murder. The community reeled with shock by both the gruesome details of the homicides and the knowledge of the accused perpetrator—a small, quiet boy weighing just 75 pounds. Accessible and fast-moving, The Plea delivers a complete, complex, and nuanced narrative of this horrific crime, while shedding light on the legal, social, and political environment of Iowa and the country in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Patricia Bryan is a graduate of Carleton College and the University of Iowa College of Law. She also has a Masters in Tax degree from NYU. Patricia practiced law in New York City for six years before accepting a position as a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1982. For four decades, Patricia has taught classes in Basic Tax, Corporate tax, and a seminar in Law and Literature. She and her husband, Thomas Wolf, are the co-authors of Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America’s Heartland, published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill in 2005 and then issued in paperback by the University of Iowa Press in 2007. Patricia is also the co-editor of Her America: “A Jury of Her Peers” and Other Stories, a collection of short fiction by Susan Glaspell. Patricia’s new book—also co-authored with Thomas Wolf—is The Plea: The True Story of Young Wesley Elkins and His Struggle for Redemption, published in July 2022 by the University of Iowa Press. Thomas Wolf is a graduate of Knox College and the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Tom is also a longtime resident of Chapel Hill. He has been a Vista volunteer, a community college […]

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Live Jazz Wednesdays🎵 We're excited to add dinner and lounge service on Wednesdays, featuring live jazz in the dining room from 6-9pm. Join us this Wednesday, September 7th for music from The Kris Whiteknack Trio. Make a Reservation here : https://rpb.li/x80