"We stand to learn much about the durability of or changes in the American way of life from writers such as Bharati Mukherjee (born in India), Ursula Hegi (born in Germany), Jerzy Kosinski (born in Poland), Jamaica Kincaid (born in Antigua), Cristina Garcia (born in Cuba), Edwidge Danticat (born in Haiti), Wendy Law-Yone (born in Burma), Mylène Dressler (born in the Netherlands), Lan Cao (born in Vietnam), and such Korean-born authors as Chang-rae Lee, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, and Nora Okja Keller—writers who in recent years have come to this country and, in their work, contributed to its culture."—David CowartIn Trailing Clouds, David Cowart offers fresh insights into contemporary American literature by exploring novels and short stories published since 1970 by immigrant writers. Balancing historical and social context with close readings of selected works, Cowart explores the major themes raised in immigrant writing: the acquisition of language, the dual identity of the immigrant, the place of the homeland, and the nature of citizenship.Cowart suggests that the attention to first-generation writers (those whose parents immigrated) has not prepared us to read the fresher stories of those more recent arrivals whose immigrant experience has been more direct and unmediated. Highlighting the nuanced reflection in immigrant fiction of a nation that is ever more diverse and multicultural, Cowart argues that readers can learn much about the changes in the American way of life from writers who have come to this country, embraced its culture, and penned substantial literary work in English.

A review of LDS doctrinal understanding of permortal existence interspersed with firsthand accounts of premortal life as told by people who have had near-death experiences.

Talks and essays on literary subjects.

Trailing Clouds of Glory is a lifetime of work by the author Marion Lauretta (or Rita) Simmons. She fervently hopes that her poetry and prose of spiritual wonders and thoughts will fill your heart with peace, love, joy, and gratitude. The book had its beginnings in 1958 when Rita was twelve years old. She began writing a poem that is a testimony to the pre-existence and the plan of salvation. She wrote two verses and then put them away, knowing that one day she would complete the poem. Six years later, at the age of eighteen, she was invited to speak at a church-sponsored tristate youth conference held at a university in Arkansas. It was then she remembered the treasured verses of her unfinished poem. Taking it out, she began composing the remaining verses and a miracle happened. The words began to flow so swiftly she had difficulty writing them down quickly enough. It was as if the Spirit was whispering into her ear...urging her to write even faster. And then it was finished! The creation of the poem "Trailing Clouds of Glory" was a spiritual and wondrous experience, and it was well received at the youth conference. It has always been her favorite and touches her heart in a profound way, being her testimony of the eternal life of all humankind. Friends and family alike who have heard or read her poem have often asked for copies. The prelude to the poem is also an important read that tells of an uplifting experience that took place in Anchorage, Alaska in 1970...also a miracle that really happened. Her poem "The Gift Supreme" speaks about the atonement, the price our savior, Jesus Christ, paid for the redemption of each of us because of his infinite and perfect love. And concerning his subsequent resurrection she writes that Christ was: The first fruits of them that slept, The prophecy of old had been kept. Hence, The beginning of the resurrection of The spirits of all man. This being but one aspect of Our Savior's atonement plan. In conclusion, and as testimony to the eternal life of each of us, the following verse from "The Gifts That Are Ours to Give" tenderly hugs the author's heart: Thanks be to God for all that we are For all that we are to be. For he is the Father of our souls Throughout all eternity.

This work is a narrative of Zachary Taylor’s Mexican War campaign, from the formation of his army in 1844 to his last battle at Buena Vista in 1847, with emphasis on the 163 men in his “Army of Occupation” who became Confederate or Union generals in the Civil War. It clarifies what being a Mexican War veteran meant in their cases, how they interacted with one another, how they performed their various duties, and how they reacted under fire. Referring to developments in Washington, D.C., and other theaters of the war, this book provides a comprehensive picture of the early years of the conflict based on army records and the letters and diaries of the participants. Trailing Clouds of Glory is the first examination of the roles played in the Mexican War by the large number of men who served with Taylor and who would be prominent in the next war, both as volunteer and regular army officers, and it provides fresh information, even on such subjects as Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. Particularly interesting for the student of the Civil War are largely unknown aspects of the Mexican War service of Daniel Harvey Hill, Braxton Bragg, and Thomas W. Sherman.

Spiritual values in children's literature,

In two years, Wales went from Home International wooden spoon holders four times running to 1976 European Football Championship quarter-finalists. The book provides the background to qualification, accounts of all matches, examination of the fallout from the campaign's controversial ending, and a 'Where are they now?' section.

From the clear thinking heart of expert on teaching teenagers, Douglas Gerwin, comes this exceptional collection of thought provoking and information-packed series of essays on all the practicalities and mysteries of human sexuality and the coming of puberty. Every parent and every teacher of students from age eleven up needs this book! It fills the imagination with rich and straightforward ways to explain to the young why sexuality os so rewarding and so challenging! Here is a gift for which every recipient will thank you. On experienced high school teacher said, "I so wish I had this book ten years ago!" Every aspect of the mystique of human sexuality is addressed from embryology through to AIDS and same-sex relationships. The book was twelve years in the collecting and assembling, so carefully done and thoughtfully put together it is.

Dear Mr. S. Harris, Ignore the blob of red in the top left corner. It's jam, not blood, though I don't think I need to tell you the difference. It wasn't your wife's jam the police found on your shoe. . . . I know what it's like. Mine wasn't a woman. Mine was a boy. And I killed him exactly three months ago. Zoe has an unconventional pen pal--Mr. Stuart Harris, a Texas Death Row inmate and convicted murderer. But then again, Zoe has an unconventional story to tell. A story about how she fell for two boys, betrayed one of them, and killed the other. Hidden away in her backyard shed in the middle of the night with a jam sandwich in one hand and a pen in the other, Zoe gives a voice to her heart and her fears after months of silence. Mr. Harris may never respond to Zoe's letters, but at least somebody will know her story--somebody who knows what it's like to kill a person you love. Only through her unusual confession can Zoe hope to atone for her mistakes that have torn lives apart, and work to put her own life back together again. Rising literary star Annabel Pitcher pens a captivating second novel, rich with her distinctive balance between humor and heart. Annabel explores the themes of first love, guilt, and grief, introducing a character with a witty voice and true emotional resonance.