San Antonio College Library

The rise of South Korea is one of the most unexpected and inspirational developments of the latter part of our century. A few decades ago, the Koreans were an impoverished, agricultural people. In one generation they came out of the fields and into Silicon Valley. In 1997, this powerhouse of a nation reeled and almost collapsed as a result of a weak financial system and heavily indebted conglomerates. The world is now watching to see whether the Koreans...

Poetry celebrates America's cultural heritage with pieces about such topics as World War I's African-American jazz band, a Harlem girl's examination of adult flirting behaviors, and the first African-American Oscar winner.

Out of the chaos of Syria's civil war, Kurdish PKK leftists have forged a radical, multi-ethnic mini-state. But with ISIS and Turkey now attacking the PKK leaning groups, how long can this new political geography last?

"Global histories tend to be written from the narrow viewpoint of a single author and a single perspective, with the inevitable bias that it entails. But in this thought-provoking collection, twenty-eight writers and scholars give engaging, often passionate accounts of their own nation's history. The countries have been selected to represent every continent and every type of state: large and small; mature democracies and religious autocracies; states...

A social critique of middle-class America notes the pervasiveness of barbecue grills, supermoms, suburban restaurant chains, and other elements, identifying the motivations that prompt many people to strive for fantasy-based goals.