1971-

"Since the civil war in Syria began in 2011, over 500,000 civilians have been killed and more than 12 million Syrians have been displaced. Rania Abouzeid, one of the foremost journalists on the topic, follows two pairs of sisters from opposite sides of the conflict to give readers a firsthand glimpse of the turmoil and devastation this strife has wrought. Sunni Muslim Ruha and her younger sister Alaa withstand constant attacks by the Syrian government in rebel-held territory. Alawite sisters Hanin and Jawa try to carry on as normal in the police state of regime-held Syria.The girls grow up in a world where nightly bombings are routine and shrapnel counts as toys. They bear witness to arrests, killings, demolished homes, and further atrocities most adults could not imagine. Still, war does not dampen their sense of hope. Through the stories of Ruha and Alaa and Hanin and Jawa, Abouzeid presents a clear-eyed and page-turning account of the complex conditions in Syria leading to the onset of the harrowing conflict"--Provided by publisher.

"Essays about 1990s popular culture, politics, sports, literature, music"--Provided by publisher.

Firoozeh Dumas recounts the experiences she had after her family moved from Iran to Southern California, discussing how her family adapted to life in America.

Looks at the shocking extremes of the contemporary American food world, where animals never before considered or long since forgotten are emerging as delicacies, parts that used to be for scrap are centerpieces, and ash and hay are fashionable ingredients.

Cartoons and humorous text describe the author's view of America.

"StoryCorps founder Dave Isay draws from ten years of the revolutionary oral history project's rich archives, collecting conversations that celebrate the power of the human bond and capture the moment at which individuals become family"--Provided by publisher.

Bill Bryson recounts some of the strange experiences he had when he returned to the United States after living in Britain for twenty years.

Jeanne Marie Laskas reveals personal stories of working class Americans, including coal miners, cowboys, and air traffic controllers.