"A sweeping history of mountaineering before Everest, and the epic human quest to reach the highest places on Earth. Whether in the name of conquest, science, or the divine, humans across the centuries have had myriad reasons to climb mountains. From the smoking volcanoes of South America to the great snowy ranges of the Himalaya, The White Ladder follows a cast of extraordinary characters--conquistadors and captains, scientists and surveyors, alpinists...

John Travolta got the world disco dancing - and helped sell white suits everywhere - as the hip-thrusting Tony Minero in "Saturday Night Fever" in the seventies; then he broke hearts as Danny Zuko in the musical made for the screen, "Grease," in the early 80's. Then came a string of flops in the 90's, and it seemed as though the once promising career of the Italian-American actor might be over. But it would be the comeback of the century when Travolta...

"In retreat from a devastating loss and crushing injustice, Katie lives alone in a fortresslike stone house on Jacob’s Ladder island. Once a rising star in the art world, she finds refuge in her painting. The neighboring island of Ringrock houses a secret: a government research facility. And now two agents have arrived on Jacob’s Ladder in search of someone--or something--they refuse to identify. Although an air of menace hangs over these men,...

The incredible story of the man and legend who has come to symbolize the continuing pursuit of justice for Blacks in the United States Through the 1980s, the mainstream press portrayed the Reverend Al Sharpton as a buffoon, a fake minister, a hustler, an opportunist, a demagogue, a race traitor, and an anti-Semite. Today, Sharpton occupies a throne that would have shocked the white newspaper reporters who covered him forty years ago. A mesmerizing...

The number of infants who die before their first birthday is much higher in the U.S. than in other countries. And for African Americans the rate is nearly twice as high as for white Americans. Even well-educated black women have birth outcomes worse than white women who haven't finished high school. Why? We meet Kim Anderson, a successful Atlanta lawyer, executive and mother. When Kim was pregnant with her first child in 1990, she, like so many others,...

As we mark the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's Executive Order calling for a thoroughly integrated workplace, it's time to assess which corporations have contributed the most to this advancement and which have not. While it's true that more women and minorities can be found at the top of many corporations, troubling patterns have emerged. The partial application of diversity has resulted in the formation of a persistent white ceiling in corporate...

For twenty-five years, Debby Irving sensed inexplicable racial tensions in her personal and professional relationships. As a colleague and neighbor, she was worried about offending people she dearly wanted to befriend. As an arts administrator, she didn't understand why her diversity efforts lacked traction. As a teacher, she found her best efforts to reach out to students and families of color left her wondering what she was missing. Then, in 2009,...

Tress Montor’s family used to mean something—until she didn’t have a family anymore. When her parents disappeared seven years ago while driving her best friend home, Tress lost everything. The entire town shuns her now that she lives with her drunken, one-eyed grandfather at what locals refer to as the “White Trash Zoo.” Felicity Turnado has it all: looks, money, and a secret. One misstep could send her tumbling from the top of the social...

"The Bronx. It's America at its most vibrant and chaotic; it's also where one foster care caseworker-a would-be white savior from New England, a twentysomething kid prematurely jaded by the system--takes it upon himself to reunify a troubled birthmother with her children, against the recommendation of his world-weary but wise Hispanic boss. (Nevermind the fact that the mother in question just might have a crush on him--either that, or she's running...

When we think of technology, we might think only of our modern tools, such as electronics, computers, and cutting-edge gadgets, but civilizations throughout the ages have used technology to improve their lives. This informative resource will reveal that the ancient Chinese were an innovative and forward-thinking people. Readers will also be engaged throughout the volume with descriptions of their technological achievements, such as the invention...