This narrow strip of land - only 30 miles (48 km) wide at its narrowest point, and rarely wider than 75 miles (121 km) at any spot - contains one of the world's great engineering marvels: the Panama Canal, known to the world as "the path between the seas." Fees paid by the ships that pass through the canal make up a large part of Panama's economy. Panama's government has historically been democratic, holding fair elections for leaders, although corruption...

Presents information on the geography, history, economy, and people of Peru; and includes a chronology, recipes, project ideas, and more.

Discusses the land, the history, the economy, the people, and the festivals of Chile.

An introduction to Venezuela, discussing the history, geography, economy, people, and society of the South American country, and including a calendar of Venezuelan festivals, recipes, a glossary, project and report ideas, a chronology, and resources.

An authorized portrait of the influential twentieth-century American writer draws on first-person accounts and Vonnegut's private letters while offering insight into his youth, the inspirations for his work, and his enduring literary impact.

Presents the geography, history, economy, cities and communities, and people and culture of Argentina. Includes recipes, related projects, and a calendar of festivals.

Examines the life and times of the frontiersman whose many careers included Pony Express rider, Indian fighter, scout, and star of his own Wild West Show.

To Kill a Mockingbird, the twentieth century's most widely read American novel, still sells a million copies yearly. Yet despite the book's perennial popularity, its creator remains a somewhat mysterious figure. Journalist Shields brings to life the warmhearted, high-spirited, and occasionally hardheaded woman who gave us two of American literature's most unforgettable characters--Atticus Finch and his daughter, Scout--and who contributed to the success...

"Written when she was just twenty-eight, Lorraine Hansberry's landmark A Raisin in the Sun is listed by the National Theatre as one of the hundred most significant works of the twentieth century. Hansberry was the first Black woman to have a play performed on Broadway, and the first Black and youngest American playwright to win a New York Critics' Circle Award. Charles J. Shields's authoritative biography of one of the twentieth century's most admired...