READING: The Los Angeles riots shattered Korean immigrants’ naive belief in the American dream. As many as 2,300 Korean shopkeepers lost their lifetime investments in one day. Korean immigrants had struggled for years to become economically independent through small businesses of their own. However, the riots made them realize how fragile their economic base is because their businesses are dependent on the impoverished, oppressed, and rebellious classes. In On My Own, In-Jin Yoon combines an intimate fieldwork account of Korean-black relations in Chicago and Los Angeles with extensive quantitative analysis at the national level. Yoon argues that a complete understanding of the contemporary Korean-American community requires systematic analyses of patterns of Korean immigration, entrepreneurship, and race relations with other minority groups. He explains how small business has become the major economic activity of Korean immigrants and how Korean businesses in minority neighborhoods have intensified racial tensions between Koreans and minorities like blacks and Latinos. “A groundbreaking study of Korean-black relations. Yoon’s insights on immigration, entrepreneurship, and race relations significantly enhance our understanding of urban racial tensions.”—William Julius Wilson, Harvard University

READING: This is the story of a once lost black man, giving compelling details of the trials, tribulations, and the ever changing circumstances surrounding him. Cursed from birth with unusual attributes; early on, he was faced with ridicule and constant criticism from not only peers, but also his parents. Desperate to be a part of something in a city plagued with hate, he was determined to escape the detrimental society that had withered away at the lives of so many. Therefore, he enlisted in the armed services after completing high school in hopes of finding his purpose in life.

READING: I have decided to tell the story of my life. I intend to include information about my parents and my brother, and as I recall various events, I will include stories about other relatives and friends as well. We were an especially close family and our lives always revolved around one another. I believe this closeness was fostered by the love my parents had for each other, and they passed this love to each of us. In addition, Tommy and I were highly respected and encouraged by Mom and Dad all through their lives. They loved to take credit for all we achieved, as well they should have. We always did the best we could. But they gave us the chance and the backing we needed. Especially because Tommy and I were deeply loved by our parents, we gained confidence and assurance. We knew where we stood from the beginning. And we could always count on Mom and Dad for anything we needed. In addition, my parents deeply loved their families. They passed on this love to us through their close relationships with their brothers, sisters, cousins, and relatives in Italy and Romania, as well as their many friends. Family came first all through our lives. There may have been disagreements, but they were only occasional and the closeness returned. We were always thrilled to receive letters from the relatives overseas and the letters were read word for word to each other. I always felt part of the larger family, even though I did not understand the language. My mother interpreted for us, so we knew what was said and what the news was. Since my brother Tommy died so suddenly on November 14, 2003, I have felt a loss so deep I sometimes feel I can barely continue. The hurt never goes away. I want to share the reasons for my closeness to Tommy so our family and friends can better understand. For me, Tommy represented everything in life: my upbringing, my parents, and nearly all the things I experienced up to the present time. He was the one single family member to talk to who understood all of me. I never thought of life without Tommy. It has been a terrible blow, and of course I realize this is true for our family and friends, also. Further, since I have begun to think out what I want to write, I have expanded my goal to include additional stories and descriptions of our family, which will explain and bridge the generations of individuals who made up our lives. Perhaps other cousins and their children, and other friends, too, will be interested in my story. I hope to include pictures, letters, and other materials, which will be a history of our family to leave as my legacy to nieces and nephew and their children and to others. Even now, it is possible that only three great-grandchildren will remember my mother, their great-Grandma, GG. She loved them dearly, and I hope to leave them some wonderful memories and important information they can pass on to their children. I think they need to know where they came from down through our European roots and what our family was like. Otherwise, I am afraid all would be lost. Who will be left to tell our story? There are very few relatives left even now who remember. So, I have decided to try to tell this larger story in addition to describing my life. There are other persons who know some of my life’s history, also, and as time permits, I will talk to them to add or correct information—namely, Auntie Nina, Mom’s sister, or her children; Jennie Ray, my first cousin and friend; and Octavia Lina Hirschmann, Mom’s first cousin. Or Octavia’s children, Carol Borthwaite (Colorado) or Fred Hirschmann (Alaska). In addition, my sister-in-law, Joann, will be of help as needed to give information about Tommy. Joann will have her story to tell also. As time passes, there are fewer and fewer people to ask about our history, and I hope to be as accurate as possible. Most everyone I have talked to about this project has been supportive. Several have even said that they too would like to leave some history for their families. So

READING: University life isn't what Caitlin expected. Her roommate Liz is hostile to her faith -- tormenting her with raunchy music and sleazy boyfriends. Worst of all, suddenly Caitlin doesn't understand herself anymore. Why has she regressed to being the shy, insecure girl she was in junior high? She doesn't even fit in with her new Christian fellowship group! Caitlin tries not to envy Josh and her friends at Christian colleges, but suddenly all she has are questions and few answers. In the story of Caitlin O'Conner's soul, this frustrating year is the most significant one yet, as the homesick freshman eventually remembers there is one companion she can always trust. From the Trade Paperback edition.

READING: At some point over the course of the average American woman’s life, she will find herself alone, whether she is divorced, widowed, single, or in a loveless, isolating relationship. And when that time comes, it is likely that she will be at a loss as to how to handle it. As a society, we have an unspoken but omnipresent belief that a woman alone is an outcast, inherently flawed in some way. In this invigorating, supportive book, psychotherapist Florence Falk aims to take the fear, doubt, confusion, and helplessness out of being a woman alone. Falk invites all women to find their own paths toward an authentic selfhood, to discover the pleasures and riches of solitude, and to reconnect with others through a newfound sense of self-confidence. Like so many women before her, Florence Falk found herself divorced, alone, and unsure of herself. Soon she realized that by embracing her solitude for what it was—a potentially enriching and life-altering experience—she could turn what once would have felt like “loneliness” into a far more positive and empowered “aloneness.” Falk notes that each of us has two opposing drives: one causes us to yearn to make close connections with others, and the other pulls us back into ourselves, into the need for selfhood and certainty that can only be shaped through solitude. In order to be whole, she says, we must heed both of those impulses. But in our modern culture, the former is stressed while the latter is neglected, even vilified. On My Own boldly shifts that paradigm. With inspiring, intimate stories of women from all backgrounds, Falk illuminates the essential role that being alone plays in women’s lives. Whether she is in a stable relationship or on her own, every woman must learn to be by herself; for if she can be fully free, unfettered by society’s stigmas about being alone, life and all its possibilities will open up for her. And as Falk demonstrates, once a woman has discovered the richness of solitude, she is not likely to give it up so easily. From the Hardcover edition.

READING: Lady Rebecca Marshall memenuhi keinginan ibunya dengan menjadi dayang-dayang istana, mendampingi sang ratu. Kesempatan ini adalah pengobat kekecewaan beliau yang berharap sekali menikahkan putrinya itu dengan keturunan langsung Duke of Norfold, Raphael Locke—yang sayangnya sudah menikah dengan perempuan lain. Dalam suatu pesta di istana, Rebecca bertemu dengan sepupu Raphael bernama Rupert St. John, yang di matanya memiliki wajah seperti malaikat. Tapi sebelum dia mengenal lelaki itu lebih jauh, Rebecca mendapat kabar kalau Rupert adalah agen rahasia dari kerajaan lain.... Dicurigai sebagai mata-mata adalah hal terkonyol yang pernah didengar Rupert. Namun, saat menyadari Rebecca sedang menyelidikinya guna memastikan hal itu, Rupert malah tergoda untuk merayu lady manis itu naik ke ranjang bersamanya. Kebahagiaan Rupert hanya berlangsung singkat, Rebecca datang kepadanya untuk menuntut tanggung jawab. Entah bagaimana dia yakin betul lady itu berusaha menjebaknya dengan berita kehamilan supaya bisa masuk dalam keluarga besar Locke yang terkenal berkuasa dan kaya raya. Atas desakan pihak keluarga, akhirnya Rupert dan Rebecca resmi menjadi suami-istri. Namun, siapa menduga, setiap malamnya, tempat tidur pasangan yang menikah terburu-buru itu selalu dilanda gairah. Gairah panas dan berbahaya yang bisa membuat keduanya... jatuh cinta. -GagasMedia-

READING: As a follow up to his first book Sanctuary of Expression, accomplished writer Jonathan Patrick Lamas returns with Out On My Own. Chocked full of touching poetry and heartfelt prose, Out On My Own provides a private glimpse into the solitude life of a struggling young writer. Return once again to the busy streets of New York City as Jonathan struggles to find his special place amidst the masses. Experience the bittersweet rendition of first love, and the heart wrenching burden of life's uncertainties. From posh parties atop The Rainbow Room in Manhattan, to late night times in The Village, Jonathan shares poetically with you the ups and downs of being out on his own.

READING: This book is story of the author, an American raised in Hitler's Germany, where he saw the persecution of Jewish neighbors and experienced the bombing of cities. Vieler tells of his experiences during WWII before repatriating to America and enlisting in the Army during the Korean War.

READING: On My Own Terms: A Memoir TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD DARLENE BARRIERE is borderline anorexic when she enters psychotherapy. She's there to prove she doesn't need professional help, even though she hates everything about herself. She's afraid of being labeled neurotic or psychotic, but mostly, Darlene is afraid that she might be as crazy as her mother. And so begins ten months of grueling sessions with Dr. Stein . . . . Darlene shares and faces the memories that led to a suicide attempt, a planned teenage pregnancy and subsequent abortion, promiscuity, a stint in detention, morbid obesity, eating disorders, and a voluntary tubal-ligation when she was twenty-one years old. But she doesn't share the fact that in her purse are three boxes of Ex-Lax. Darlene must face the reality that her mother hated her. She must come to terms with her love/hate feelings for her violent, lord-and-master father. Twelve years later, Darlene learns her estranged mother has terminal bone cancer. As the family congregates to prepare for their mother's death, Darlene attempts to re-establish the emotional connection she once had with her brothers and sisters. But religious feuds, unresolved childhood squabbles, and Darlene's 'public-trustee-relationship' with her mother take their toll. Now she must deal with what happens when the past collides with the present. For more information, please visit: www.members.shaw.ca/darbarriere

READING: “Freedom! Finally life on my own!” Excited about making your mark on the world, living life on your own terms and eating ice cream for dinner if you want? Being on your own is so great, but when the decisions get a little more difficult than “Do I wash a black-and-white striped shirt with whites or colors?”, this little book will be invaluable. On My Own Now shows you how to apply biblical wisdom of the ages to choosing everything from friends to underwear; exercising and exorcising (ooh, creepy); juggling commitments and balancing bills; taking mom and dad for all they’re worth (er, uh, we mean like taking their advice and stuff); and waiting, dating and maybe someday mating. On My Own Now is about strengthening young women’s faith and preventing the screw-ups that can brand us for life. Donna Lee Schillinger draws on her eclectic past as a rebellious youth, Peace Corps volunteer, social worker, single mother, court mediator and executive director of a home for single young mothers. She uses gender-reversed Proverbs with real-life applications to wave the red flag of caution for young women, warning against the pitfalls of a post-modern, sexually casual, consumer-is-king society that is indelibly scarring youth with cynicism, sexually transmitted diseases and bad credit. This compact collection of quirky vignettes is great for daily devotions, affirmations, confessions, benedictions and many other religious “tions,” all with the goal of keeping you on the yellow brick road. After all, you’re not in Kansas anymore – you’re on your own now (unless you live in Kansas, then you would still be in Kansas…). “Every once in a while, a book lands in my hands that I know immediately is truly extraordinary. On My Own Now is such a book. Donna Lee Schillinger's writing style absolutely sparkles and is a joy to read just for the sheer pleasure of observing a true wordsmith at work. Then, there's the content, which is absolutely exceptional. If you could put one book into the hands of every young woman you know, this should be the book. And if she applied a fraction of the wisdom contained therein, she'd be spared a mountain of tears. This is an amazing book and I highly recommend it.” Donna Partow, Author, Becoming the Woman God Wants Me To Be: A 90-Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 Life.

READING: 6 PACK, PART OF ON MY OWN FOLKLORE SET II

READING: "For over three decades, Berg's "Molly" fluttered about and hung out her kitchen window dispensing motherly advice laced with engaging malapropisms, insights, and lots of "schmaltz." The show offered a warmly comedic look at the lives and dreams of working-class American Jews and subtle insights into the nature of assimilation. While Molly, husband Jake, and Uncle David represent Old World Jewish stereotypes, children Rosalie and Sammy are as American as apple pie. A portrait of the immigrant experience, The Goldbergs offered a mythic idea of the American dream.".

READING: ON MY OWN BIOGRAPHIES TEACHING GUIDE

READING:

READING: The dark threat of polio becomes a reality for a young Prairie girl. In the summer of 1937, life on the Prairies is not easy. The Great Depression has brought great hardship, and young Noreen's family must scrimp to make ends meet. In a horrible twist of fate, Noreen, like hundreds of other young Canadians, contracts polio and is placed in an isolation ward, unable to move her legs. After a few weeks she gains partial recovery, but her family makes the painful decision to send her to a hospital far away for further treatment. To Stand On My Own is Noreen's diary account of her journey through recovery: her treatment; life in the ward; the other patients, some of them far worse off than her; adjustment to life in a wheelchair and on crutches; and ultimately, the emotional and physical hurdles she must face when she returns home. In this moving addition to the Dear Canada series, award-winning author Barbara Haworth-Attard recreates a desolate time in Canadian history, and one girl's brave fight against a deadly disease.

READING: ON MY OWN HISTORY TEACHING GUIDE

READING: Like a lot of women of my generation, I was raised to be a wife and mother. That worked for me until I realized my husband was a jerk and I divorced him, until my father died and left us only gambling debts, until my mother and sister were killed in a plane crash. So there I was, 40 years old, close to broke, with two children, and no way of making a living. Fortunately, I was a natural as a financial adviser and broker. And as soon as I'd solved my own money problems, I turned my attention to helping other women become financially independent. Invest? Isn't that gambling? Not compared to betting everything you've got on a man! Investing isn't rocket science. Once you've mastered some simple ideas --- spend less, save more, watch your credit card debt --- you're likely to find you actually have money to invest. And that's where this book can be your guide to sane, successful investing.

READING: What lies before you on the following pages of this book, is my personal interpretation of events, that have change my life forever, and has also given my life, a new sense of true meaning in every way. On my Life’s Journey So Far, i have been shown my true purpose for being here on this planet today, and within the last few years of my own Life’s Journey, i have been shown the true wonders of how magical life can really be, here on our planet. I now feel that i have fully awakened from a long deep sleep, that I’ve been fighting to awaken from, for such a long time. I also feel that i have come to a point in my own Life’s Journey, where i must begin to share these truly enlightening secret’s, with everyone here on this planet today. My only hope is that the information contained within the pages of this book, will begin to give you the same inspirations, and courage that i have found on my own Life’s Journey So Far. Hoping that these inspirations, will encourage you, to embark on your own Life’s Journey of new discovery, beginning to open you up, to the true wonders that life holds for us all, here on this planet today, if we are only willing to seek them out.

READING: Today Lola wants to do everything all on her own, but things aren't as easy as she thought they'd be. In the park, when Charlie and his friend Marv explain to Lola that a seesaw won't "see" or "saw" with only one person on it, Lola reluctantly lets them sit on the other end. When Lola soars into the sky, it launches her into an elaborate high-seas fantasy where she saves Marv and Charlie from ever-soevil pirates. All on her own! From the Trade Paperback edition.

READING: “I stayed in my garage and lit up a cigarette, and then I smoked it. Then I lit up another one and smoked it, and I don't think I ever smoked one right after the other, unless I was drinking.” “I lit up a 3rd cigarette, and I could not almost smoke that one, and then I started inhaling the cigarette smoke into my nose, and it was burning me. My eyes were burning, and I started thinking, I hate these cigarettes, and then I lit up another one, and smoked it!” “I smoked it, until I could hardly smoke it, and then I snorted it up my nostrils, until it was burning so bad, my body hated it! I have not smoked a cigarette in over 10 years now, and never even had a desire the next morning, learn how I taught myself not to have a craving inside, and other stories from the same author that will blow your mind maybe.”