From a filmmaker who refused to conform to conventional ideas about cinema to a mother who breaks every rule to find her missing son, and a psychotherapist challenging traditional ideas about masculinity, these three books explore what happens when people question the roles and expectations placed upon them.
Laurence Kardish’s “Shirley Clarke: The Passionate Life and Radical Works of an Exceptional Filmmaker” revisits the life of an artist who pushed the boundaries of documentary and experimental film. Chital Mehta’s “Have You Seen Romit?” follows a mother whose search for her missing son takes her deep into unfamiliar territory, forcing her to confront the rules that have shaped her life. Meanwhile, Robert Augustus Masters’ “To Be a Man: A Guide to True Masculine Power” examines the emotional struggles many men face and challenges readers to reconsider vulnerability, self-awareness and what it means to live authentically. “The Lives of Immigrants and Refugees: Tales of Migration, Hope, Grief, and Finding Home” tells the stories of immigrants from their own view point.
Together, the books offer three very different journeys—but each asks a similar question: What happens when we stop accepting the roles we have been given and begin searching for our own way forward?
Shirley Clarke: The Rebel Filmmaker Who Refused to Play by the Rules
“Shirley Clarke: The Passionate Life and Radical Works of an Exceptional Filmmaker” by Laurence Kardish shines a long-overdue spotlight on the groundbreaking filmmaker who challenged convention throughout her career.
Clarke’s work ranged from experimental film to documentaries, including the Oscar-winning “Robert Frost: A Lover’s Quarrel with the World” and the acclaimed “Portrait of Jason.” Kardish draws from Clarke’s diaries to explore her unconventional life, relationships, creative collaborations, struggles and activism. Published by the University Press of Kentucky, the biography presents Clarke as a fearless artist whose influence deserves renewed attention.
‘Have You Seen Romit?’ Explores a Mother’s Search for Her Missing Son
What happens when a mother who has spent her life following society’s rules is forced to break them? That question drives Chital Mehta’s novel, “Have You Seen Romit?,” winner of the James Alan McPherson Prize for the Novel.
The story follows Usha, whose 25-year-old adopted son, Romit, suddenly stops answering her calls. While her husband, Om, who has never fully accepted Romit, urges her to move on, Usha refuses to ignore her instincts. When it becomes clear that Romit is missing, she takes matters into her own hands.
After learning that Romit went trekking into the dangerous forests of Sholai in Andhra Pradesh, Usha travels to Bengaluru in search of answers. Her journey leads her to Vijaya, a fearless young trekker dealing with struggles of her own.
Together, the two women embark on a dangerous trek into the dense forests of southern India, confronting unexpected obstacles along the way.
As Usha searches for her son, she is also forced to confront the expectations that have shaped her life. Mehta’s novel explores motherhood, adoption, courage and the cost of challenging societal norms.
“Have You Seen Romit?” ultimately becomes a story about how far a mother will go when the rules she once trusted are no longer enough.
Robert Augustus Masters’ ‘To Be a Man’ Offers a Deeper Look at Masculinity
Psychotherapist and relationship expert Robert Augustus Masters explores the challenges men face in “To Be a Man: A Guide to True Masculine Power.” The book examines how unresolved wounds, shame, emotional disconnection and self-doubt can affect men’s relationships and sense of fulfillment.
Masters encourages readers to confront the past, develop greater emotional awareness and understand vulnerability as a potential source of strength. The book also addresses intimacy, sexuality, pornography, inner criticism and the process of confronting parts of oneself that have been pushed aside.
Available in paperback for $17.35, “To Be a Man” offers readers a guide to what Masters describes as a more mindful, emotionally aware and grounded approach to manhood.
‘The Lives of Immigrants and Refugees’ Shares Stories of Finding Home
“The Lives of Immigrants and Refugees: Tales of Migration, Hope, Grief, and Finding Home” in Nebraska brings together 31 essays by immigrants and refugees who now call Lincoln, Nebraska, home. Edited by Matthew F. Bokovoy, Lisa Guill, Michelle Carr Hassler, Joy Castro and Emira Ibrahimpašic, the collection explores migration, displacement, resilience and the challenges of starting over. The contributors share experiences involving war, political exile, economic hardship, language barriers, cultural adjustment, poverty and grief. Published by Bison Books, the 294-page collection includes 25 photographs and is scheduled for publication October 1, 2026, for $29.95.