An epic history of Mexico from its Olmec, Aztec, and Mayan heritage to the present day.

The twenty-first century requires ordinary citizens to battle terrorism, having never faced it in our own land before. All over the world the "every man for himself" mindset becomes more prevalent because so many live by the "me first" philosophy. For those wondering how to confront our new realities, former POW Arthur B. Baker informs the reality of our existence with Triumphs and Tragedies, Corregidor and Its Aftermath. His positive battle plan for life isn't the stuff of therapist's lingo or the uninformed civilian, but was developed from his service to our country on the island fortress of Corregidor, the Philippines and in POW camps in Japan during World War II. Though captivity under the Japanese meant starvation, slave labor without a single cent of compensation and inhumane treatment, Arthur Baker's determination to face battles with a positive attitude resulted not only in his survival but also in effective passive resistance in the heart of the enemy's land. Only a few have undertaken to write of the lives of POWs in the Pacific while the world was at war; fewer have told their own stories. As might be expected, those who have tell bitter stories of horror. Baker's account, horrible as it is at times, focuses on a battle plan useful to anyone in any situation: keep hope, fight for it, hold tight to it, assess your options and use what you have. These marching orders set his work as a beacon for anyone to follow in any situation.

From the Native Americans who lived in the Chicago area for thousands of years, to the first European explorers Marquette and Jolliet, to the 2005 Chicago White Sox World Series win, parents, teachers, and kids will love this comprehensive and exciting history of how Chicago became the third largest city in the U.S. Chicago's spectacular and impressive history comes alive through activities such as building a model of the original Ferris Wheel, taking architectural walking tours of the first skyscrapers and Chicago's oldest landmarks, and making a Chicago-style hotdog. Serving as both a guide to kids and their parents and an engaging tool for teachers, this book details the first Chicagoan Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the Fort Dearborn Massacre, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the building of the world's first skyscraper, and the hosting of two World's Fairs. In addition to uncovering Windy City treasures such as the birth of the vibrant jazz era of Louis Armstrong and the work of Chicago poets, novelists, and songwriters, kids will also learn about Chicago's triumphant and tortured sports history.

From Tragedy to Triumph describes a man's struggle with the untimely deaths of three of his four children, all due to unusual circumstances. This is the story of a man learning how to deal with such a tragedy. You will follow Alex and see what happens when he lays down the grief and runs to God. The heartfelt pain was so intense that the man walked away from his business and settled in for a long season of prayer, going to God for the answers, any answers. It was during this time that God began the show Alex a better understanding of how life and death and God and His kingdom work. Fortunately for us, Alex was permitted to take notes and write down what he heard and saw. Though written in simple, down-to-earth English, you will find many profound truths direct from the throne of God.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW AND ECONOMIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR “A deeply reported, deeply personal history of Zionism and Israel that does something few books even attempt: It balances the strength and weakness, the idealism and the brutality, the hope and the horror, that has always been at Zionism’s heart.”—Ezra Klein, The New York Times Winner of the Natan Book Award, the National Jewish Book Award, and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award Ari Shavit’s riveting work, now updated with new material, draws on historical documents, interviews, and private diaries and letters, as well as his own family’s story, to create a narrative larger than the sum of its parts: both personal and of profound historical dimension. As he examines the complexities and contradictions of the Israeli condition, Shavit asks difficult but important questions: Why did Israel come to be? How did it come to be? Can it survive? Culminating with an analysis of the issues and threats that Israel is facing, My Promised Land uses the defining events of the past to shed new light on the present. Shavit’s analysis of Israeli history provides a landmark portrait of a small, vibrant country living on the edge, whose identity and presence play a crucial role in today’s global political landscape.