University of California, Riverside
BOOKS
PAGE TURNERS
A look at recently published works by UCR faculty, staff, and alumni
“Twelve Trees”
By Daniel Lewis, M.A. ’88, Ph.D. ’97
Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster
March 2024, 304 pages
Lewis, curator and historian at one of the world’s most renowned research libraries, takes readers on a sweeping journey to plant breeding labs, botanical gardens, research facilities, museum collections, and all around the Earth. Journeying into the deserts of the American West and the deep jungles of Peru, “Twelve Trees” offers a globe-spanning perspective on the crucial impact trees have on the entire planet.
Lewis received a master’s degree and doctorate in history.
“The Sons of El Rey”
By Alex Espinoza
Simon & Schuster
June 2024, 384 pages
Named one of the “Most Anticipated Books of 2024” by the “Today” show, “The Sons of El Rey” follows the life and struggles of Ernesto Vega, a famed luchador known as El Rey Coyote. Through alternating perspectives, Espinoza offers an intimate portrait of a family wading against time and legacy, yet always choosing the fight.
Espinoza is the Tomás Rivera Endowed Chair of Creative Writing.
“When Animals Die”
Edited by Katja M. Guenther and Julian Paul Keenan
NYU Press
May 2024, 264 pages
This collection of essays explores profound questions about the experience of animal death for both animals and humans, examining how humans rationalize animal deaths and utilize deceased animals. Bringing together scholars from a range of disciplines, the book sheds light on the interconnectedness of animal death with issues like race, colonialism, gender, capitalism, and other systems of inequality established and perpetuated by humans.
Guenther is a professor in the Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies.
“How Free Are We?”
By Taylor W. Cyr, Ph.D. ’18, and Matthew T. Flummer
Oxford University Press
May 2024, 352 pages
“How Free Are We?” contains a collection of edited interviews from “The Free Will Show,” a podcast by philosophers Cyr and Flummer highlighting recent developments on the topic of free will. In an accessible and conversational format, a variety of scholars introduce the main issues and arguments in the free will debate, serving as a primer for those seeking an introduction to the subject.
Cyr received a doctorate in philosophy.
“Migration Stigma”
Edited by Lawrence H. Yang, Maureen A. Eger, and Bruce G. Link
The MIT Press
March 2024, 266 pages
This book introduces the concept of “migration stigma” and proposes new ways to understand the complex challenges facing immigrants, their descendants, and contemporary societies. It explores how migration stigma affects areas such as health, financial well-being, and social cohesion and proposes social, economic, and policy frameworks to address its harmful consequences.
Link is a distinguished professor of public policy and sociology.
“Clicas”
By Frank García ’13
University of Texas Press
July 2024, 256 pages
“Clicas” examines Latina/o/x literature and film by and/or about gay and women gang members, looking at gangs across racial, ethnic, and national identities and reimagining the typical narratives describing gang membership and culture. The book complicates the dialogue regarding hypermasculine gang cultures and explores how women and gay men appropriate them in complicated ways.
García received a bachelor’s degree in English.
