1920-1999

Each volume provides discussions of the literary and historical background of novels from various cultures and time periods. Includes concise synopses of plot, characters and themes, a brief author biography, discussion of the story's cultural and historical significance, and excerpted criticism.

"Don" Vito Corleone is the head of a New York mafia 'family.' His beloved son Michael has just come home from the war, but does not intend to become part of his father's business. Not given a choice, the business of the family is just like the head of the family, kind and benevolent to those who give respect, but gives in to ruthless violence whenever anything stands against the good of the family. An up and coming rival of the Corleone family wants to start selling drugs in New York, and needs the Don's influence to further his plan. A clash of old world values and the new ways will exact a terrible price, especially from Michael.

"Chronicles the lives of four incredible men, the racism they experienced as Black players entering a segregated sport, the burden of expectation they carried, and their many achievements, which would go on to affect football for generations to come"--Provided by publisher.

Looks at the life and career of civil rights activist James Farmer.

Many know the story of Jackie Robinson integrating major league baseball in 1947. But few know that the NFL integrated a year earlier, when Kenny Washington stepped on the field for the Los Angeles Rams. He wasn't the only one. Four men broke pro football's color line in 1946, Kenny Washington and Woody Strode with the Los Angeles Rams and Bill Willis and Marion Motley with the Cleveland Browns. Lost Champions traces this history from the early 1930s--when NFL owners first instituted a ban on black players--through pro football's re-integration, to the 1950 NFL Championship Game, which pitted the Rams and Browns against each other in a showdown of the most prolific and advanced offenses pro football had ever seen.