South Central

Twelve-year-old Caroline is a Hurricane Child, born on Water Island during a storm. Coming into this world during a hurricane is unlucky, and Caroline has had her share of bad luck already. She's hated by everyone in her small school, she can see things that no one else can see, and - worst of all - her mother left home one day and never came back. With no friends and days filled with heartache, Caroline is determined to find her mother. When a new student, Kalinda, arrives, Caroline's luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados, seems to see the things Caroline sees, too.

Injustice. Black America. Media. Corruption at the highest levels of government. Only one dollar. This is the case you've never heard of--until now. In City of Los Angeles v. Preferred Communications, the US District Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the US Supreme Court agreed that the city had violated the civil rights of half a million people for 10 years and had refused to comply with a nine-zero decision by the Supreme Court of the United States.

For a woman traveling without her husband in the late nineteenth century, there was only one reason to take the train all the way to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, one sure to garner disapproval from fellow passengers. On the American frontier, the new state offered a tempting freedom often difficult to obtain elsewhere: divorce. In The Divorce Colony, writer and historian April White unveils the incredible social, political, and personal dramas that unfolded in Sioux Falls and reverberated around the country through the stories of four very different women.

With travel tips and culture in our guidebooks written by a local, it is never too late to visit Guanacaste. Most travel books tell you how to travel like a tourist. Although there is nothing wrong with that, as part of the ‘Greater Than a Tourist’ series, this book will give you candid travel tips from someone who has lived at your next travel destination.

Girlz 'n the Hood is the unsentimental, moving, and surprisingly humorous account of a girl and her 10 siblings who grew up in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Mary’s mother was a fierce matriarch, a single mom who raised 11 children with the help of welfare checks and a firearm hidden in her bra.

The Aldens are excited to visit a deserted South Seas island. But soon they discover clues that they are not alone. Is someone on the island watching them?

The place is El Salvador in 1982, at the ghastly height of its civil war. The writer is Joan Didion, who delivers an anatomy of that country's particular brand of terror - its mechanisms, rationales, and intimate relation to United States foreign policy. As ash travels from battlefields to body dumps, interviews a puppet president, and considers the distinctly Salvadoran grammar of the verb "to disappear," Didion gives us a book that is germane to any country in which bloodshed has become a standard tool of politics.

Around 2,000 years ago, the Maya people were raising pyramids to house their many gods and to bury their kings. This is just one of the special secrets uncovered by archaeologists in their stunning finds in parts of Central America. More than anything, the Maya left us with many questions. It’s the job of scientists and archaeologists to explain how a thriving people came to such a quick end. There are no simple answers, but we can discover so much with a shovel and brushes! Come, explore this fascinating civilization with us - and don’t forget your Indiana Jones hat!

Embark on a captivating journey through Chile with our concise yet comprehensive Travel Guide. From the vibrant streets of Santiago to the surreal landscapes of Patagonia, this guide is your go-to companion for exploring the diverse wonders of this South American gem. Discover cultural insights, culinary delights, festivals, practical tips, and essential information to make your Chilean adventure seamless and unforgettable.

"The Roots of El Salvador: Tracing the History of a Nation" is a comprehensive historical account of El Salvador's past, beginning with the indigenous peoples and spanning to modern times. The book delves into the country's rich pre-colonial history, including the Mayan civilization and its impact on El Salvador's cultural heritage. It also explores the tumultuous period of Spanish colonial rule and the subsequent struggles for independence.

Steve Hely, writer for The Office and American Dad!, and recipient of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, presents a travel book about his journey through Central and South America. Part travel book, part pop history, part comic memoir, Hely's writing will make listeners want to reach for their backpacks and hiking boots.

The situation is getting dire for Jews in Poland on the eve of World War II. Esther's father has fled to Cuba, and she is the first one to join him. It's heartbreaking to be separated from her beloved sister, so Esther promises to write down everything that happens until they're reunited. And she does, recording both the good - the kindness of the Cuban people and her discovery of a valuable hidden talent - and the bad: the fact that Nazism has found a foothold even in Cuba. Esther's evocative letters are full of her appreciation for life and reveal a resourceful, determined girl....

Twelve-year-old Barana lives in a coastal village in Honduras, where she spends every spare minute visiting the sea turtles that nest on the beach. Abby is feeling adrift in sixth grade, trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs after her best friend moved away from New Jersey. When Abby’s papi plans a work trip to Honduras, she is finally given the opportunity to see his homeland—with Barana as her tour guide. But Barana has other plans: someone has been poaching turtle eggs, and she’s determined to catch them!

This guide provides an overview of the the Guatemalan language and culture. The audio course covers key vocabulary for use in Guatemala including commonly used words and phrases such as greetings, questions, numbers, and colors as well as many other topics.

Anita de la Torre never questioned her freedom living in the Dominican Republic. But by her 12th birthday in 1960, most of her relatives have emigrated to the United States, her Tío Toni has disappeared without a trace, and the government’s secret police terrorize her remaining family because of their suspected opposition of el Trujillo’s dictatorship.

Visiting Costa Rica on a budget is a dream come true! You can surf at the beautiful sandy beaches, hike amazing trails complete with waterfalls, and eat the best homemade food in the world. With its hospitable people, amazing ecotourism, and something new around every corner, Costa Rica is the perfect journey for the traveler on a budget. In my audiobook, Thrifty Traveler’s Guide to Costa Rica: A Perfect Journey for the Budget Traveler, I will show you how to have the vacation of your dreams while saving a buck or two.

Costa Rica is a land of true beauty and nobody can really argue against the country’s slogan that has made the rounds of all major tourism agencies selling Costa Rica packages: Costa Rica Pura Vida. This means “Costa Rica Pure Life” and with all the green eco systems, lush rainforest, natural beauty, and pristine beaches you will soon be able to understand where that came from. Let this book guide you to the many places that you must see in Costa Rica to not let your trip go to waste. This book is filled with suggested places to stay, from inexpensive to luxurious.

Whether you are trying to decide on a location for your next getaway or enjoy learning more about new countries, be prepared for this book to whisk you away to an exotic piece of land. You will learn all you need to know about the country of Belize. From geography and weather to entertainment and renowned Belize locations, you will get to know this small-in-size, but large-in-attraction, country like the back of your hand.

With travel tips and culture in our guidebooks written by a local, it is never too late to visit Puerto Vallarta. Greater than a Tourist: Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, by author Lucia Julieta Palomera Leyva, offers first-hand and personal insight into the best ways to visit the friendliest city in the world, Puerto Vallarta. Most travel books tell you how to travel like a tourist. Although there is nothing wrong with that, as part of the Greater Than a Tourist series, this book will give you candid travel tips from someone who has lived at your next travel destination.

As far as everyone in the squad room knows, Ben Halloran is completely fresh to the streets of the 77th Division - just a soft kid from the West Side who's decided to become a cop and happened to draw the hardest neighborhood in LA. But demons from Ben's complicated past catch up with him and his tough, oddly principled Daryl Gates-era partner, Miguel Marquez, all too quickly. From the moment Ben and Marquez hit the streets together, they're pulled into a web of ultra-violent corruption and retribution.