social life and customs

Learn about the cultural traditions, history, climate and politics of South Africa. Drive through Kruger National Park and catch a glimpse of exotic wildlife. Also visit the natural history museum, aquarium, and District Six Museum in Cape Town. Learn about the country's struggle to overcome apartheid.

A portrayal of New York society in the 1870s where money counted for less than manners and morals.

Situated between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica is home to a diverse populace. From its indigenous origins, through Spanish colonization, the fight for independence, and modern globalization, the country's history has shaped the rich cultural heritage of its people. Discover Costa Rica's art and cuisine, how this unique nation is home to more than 5 percent of the world's biodiversity, and 25 percent of its land is national parks.

"It was once said that anyone who entered the Russian village of Dargavs would never leave...alive! This community, now called the City of Dead, contains about 100 crypts in the form of tiny white houses, some dating back more than 300 years. This noteworthy volume addresses the legends and myths of this mysterious place--including lore that people were sealed into their crypts while still alive. Thoughtful sidebars, carefully selected images, and a thorough timeline are valuable additions to this high-interest text"--From the publisher's web site.

Presents two texts by American writer Henry David Thoreau: "Walden," in which he offers his philosophy of life and observations of nature gleaned from a year of solitary living in a cabin on Walden Pond in Massachusetts, and "Civil Disobedience," a treatise on nonviolent resistance and protest.

Describes what life was like in New York City, then the largest city in the United States, during the 1890's.

Nitta Sayuri, a young Japanese woman who was taken from her home at the age of nine and sold into slavery as a geisha, discovers a rare opportunity for freedom when the outbreak of World War II forces an end to the only life she has ever known.

Explores the daily lives of urban and rural households in Ghana, West Africa, from a child's point of view. See a young girl living in a rural village in southern Ghana with 12 extended family members. Then see a young boy living in the capital city of Accra. Follow him to school and to a funeral where his parents sing in the choir.

Examines the history and culture of early twentieth-century America, discussing the political, social, and economic reforms initiated by President Theodore Roosevelt.

In nineteenth-century England, a young orphan runs away from a workhouse, is captured by a gang of thieves, and finally escapes.