biography

"Three young Americans captured by Iranian forces and held in captivity for two years tell their story. In summer 2009, Shane Bauer, Joshua Fattal, and Sarah Shourd were hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan when they unknowingly crossed into Iran and were captured by a border patrol. Accused of espionage, the three Americans ultimately found themselves in Tehran's infamous Evin Prison"--Publisher.

The historian shares the story of his childhood and youth during which he experienced World War II in a German household opposed to the Nazis and was forced to come to terms with his father's strong political convictions.

A hundred years ago, any soapbox orator who called for women's suffrage, laws protecting the environment, an end to lynching, or a federal minimum wage was considered a utopian dreamer or a dangerous socialist. Now we take these ideas for granted because the radical ideas of one generation are often the common sense of the next. We all stand on the shoulders of earlier generations of radicals and reformers who challenged the status quo of their day.

"Fourteen unforgettable true stories of children hidden away during World War II Jaap Sitters was only eight years old when his mother cut the yellow stars off his clothes and sent him, alone, on a fifteen-mile walk to hide with relatives. It was a terrifying night, one he would never forget. Before the end of the war, Jaap would hide in secret rooms and behind walls. He would suffer from hunger, sickness, and the looming threat of Nazi raids. But he would live. This is just one of the incredible stories told in HIDDEN LIKE ANNE FRANK, a collection of eye-opening first-person accounts that share what it was like to go into hiding during World War II. Some children were only three or four years old when they were hidden; some were teenagers. Some hid with neighbors or family, while many were with complete strangers. But all know the pain of losing their homes, their families, even their own names. They describe the secret network of brave people who kept them safe. And they share the coincidences and close escapes that made all the difference"--.

An account of the author's youth in Zimbabwe and in violent Philadelphia street gangs explores how his life was shaped by his father's absence, his brother's imprisonment, and his mother's and sister's struggles with mental illness.

A biography of Robyn Scott, focusing on the impact moving from New Zealand to rural Botswana when she was seven years old had on her life, and discusses her scientist mother and her flying doctor father, as well as her experiences while witnessing the emergence of the AIDS epidemic in South Africa.

David Hempleman-Adams discusses the mountain-climbing and arctic exploring experiences he has had, including his trips to the North and South Poles, climbing the seven tallest mountains in the world, and participating in the Ultimate Challenge expedition.